Food For Thought Fridays

Psalms 1:1-2 says, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his DELIGHT is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates day and night."

This has been my memory verse. One thing that strikes me in this passage is that the blessed man will go to the Word out of delight NOT just duty. How many times do we read the Word thinking, "I just have to get 1 chapter or ten minutes in"

Also, I believe that the less time you spend in the truth of the Word, the more likely you will find yourself in the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, and in the seat of scoffers.

I encourage you to continue to passionately seek the Lord through His Word. If you are not passionate about His Word, ask God why.

But I do know, as we seek Him, we can live lives that show Him the glory He alone deserves.

Food For Thought Fridays

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your cares upon Him; for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Peter starts out this letter calling the recipients "strangers."

What if we lived as strangers in this world? What if we thought more about things from above than what kind of TV to buy? Why do we spend more time figuring out how to be comfortable than we do about how to serve God?

We pride ourselves on junk that doesn't even matter. "Look what I have done." "Look at me." We will not say it out loud, but what about when it's dark and you are alone? How much do we let the things of this world define who we are?

The roaring lion of pride in our accomplishments and stuff is seeking to devour us.

Give it up. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (v 5).

All we have, all we are, all we will be is Him. We have to keep this in the front of our minds.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your cares upon Him; for He cares for you.

She Smiles

On The Porch, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

I keep telling you she likes me!

Back Porch Love

Back Porch Love, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

Yesterday we were all playing out in the backyard before we went out to eat. The boys were playing baseball, riding the gator, and pretending to be Ewoks from Star Wars.

Amanda was so pretty, I had to take a few pictures. I know she is not smiling, but she really does like me.

Food For Thought Fridays

Psalm 91:1-2 says, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust."

The word "dwells" is not a vacation spot or a weekend visit. As much as I would like a vacation (and need one), "dwells" denotes a place of PERMANENT residence.

Many people desire security, happiness, comfort, and peace. I mean, who wouldn't?

In the truest form, these "benefits" are inseperable from God. If you want to know real security, real happiness, real comfort, real peace, God has to be your treasure.

But here is the problem, people want these "benefits" that come FROM God, they just don't want to be hassled WITH God.

It is much easier to do it on your own and visit Him on weekends. That way we have someone to blame when things don't go the way we want.

We need to learn to DWELL with God and stop using Him as a 911 operator.

Shalom.

Food For Thought Fridays

Are you anorexic or bulimic?

Spiritually that is.

Anorexia is a disease that causes people to refuse food in a desire to be beautiful and thin. Many Christians refuse the bread of life every day, yet expect God to do amazing things in their lives. How can it be?

Bulimia is a disease that causes people to binge on tons of food, then vomit to remove the impact of the food consumed. Many Christians binge on the buffet of God and can tell you everything about church, music, and His Word, but they don't apply any of it to their lives. They might as well vomit on the doorsteps of the church as soon as services are over. It is gross, but it is true.

I pray that you are neither and that you are like Ezra.

Ezra 7: 10 says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel."

Ezra set his heart on the Word. He made a steadfast decision that he would not be anorexic.

Ezra set his heart to do the Word. He made a steadfast decision that he would not be bulimic.

Stay strong and be blessed.

Beach Boys

Beach Boys, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

Ft. Fisher

Ft. Fisher, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

This was a perfect day at the beach. When I look at this picture, it almost looks like a backdrop. But it is the real thing. It was a beautiful day.

Kiss The Son

Kiss The Son, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

This is one of my favorite photographs ever. Isaiah was completely exhausted after a long day at the beach and on top of that, we wanted the boys to take some pictures.

Just for this moment, Isaiah was enjoying playing on this old tree stump so much that everything else faded. It seemed like a moment where he could just kiss the sun.

I hope that we will take time this Easter to remember the sacrifice Jesus made on a tree for us and enjoy Him so much that everything else just fades.

Take time to kiss the SON!

I See You

I See You, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

Just wanted to put up another photo of Amanda that we took at Isaiah's Easter party.

Food For Thought Fridays

I was thinking of something for today and thought this might be appropriate.

Psalm 51: 1-12 says,

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

This is a Psalm by David after he had sinned against God with Bathsheeba, but it is suitable for us today.

During Easter, we need to remember, that God took action and why He did so.

Psalm 51: 7 says, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

One thing I notice as a theme through the chapter is who is doing the action (wash me, purge me, create in me, restore me, deliver me). David is not saying I will wash, I have purged, I created, etc. David is asking God to take action.

This is opposite of what most of us do. No matter how big or small the sin, we try to clean up our own mess in our own power. We might be able to paint the sin white for a while in our own strength, but eventually the dirt shines through.

But if we will let God take the soap of His word and wash us (even behind the ears), we will be white as snow. Snow isn't just white on the outside, it is white through and through.

Stop trying to do all the right things in your own strength and focus your attention on the character of God. We have to come to the King of All saying, "Wash me, filthy as I am, and I will be whiter than snow."

And He will.

Happy Easter!

In The Ivy

In The Ivy, originally uploaded by DocUNC.

On Wednesday, Isaiah's class had an Easter egg hunt and Amanda and I hid the eggs. After we finished, I took a few shots while we waited for the kids to come over.

I thought I would share a picture of Amanda smiling. People say I must make her mad and that is why she isn't smiling in some of her pictures.

Well, she is smiling. See, she does like me.