What Happens Today

Thinking about Heaven The thought of Heaven can be a pretty scary thought for many people. What shall we do for all eternity; forever and then forever and then again forever, forever? Will we miss the wonder of a new born baby, or the sweet smell of the first warm spring day? Will we be bored? Will there ever come a day, maybe 48,000 years down the golden road when we think to ourselves, "OK, this is a bit much, I need a change"? These very real questions may have entered your thoughts as scary considerations. You're not alone if the thought of forever is daunting to you. But would you try, for just a minute, to ask God to fill your thoughts with the wildness of what heaven may look like? And then let your mind run uninhibited. Like this for example, a thought I had while thinking about heaven recently. As I was thinking about the importance of our lives here on earth, (and yes, your life is more important than you know), I thought about heaven being a place whe...

Flower     Today I'm very happy to have a guest blogger, my wife. This is a word that God dropped into her heart last Sunday. I believe it will encourage, comfort, and even inspire you. Here is what God spoke to her heart: I recieved a vision of a flower, and of God's love pouring out like rain. And all that we need to do is to face the rain; to let it soak into the dry places - the places that need moisture and nutrients. All we need to do face into the sun and into the rain. The flower cannot cause itself to grow or bloom. It doesn't choose where it is planted, it doesn't choose the seasons, when it rains or what is around it. It simply does what it was made to do: grow without worry or work. We are like the flower, except that at times we try to "help" the process along. Sometimes we think we need the sun when there hasn't been any sun. So we create a "sun lamp". Sometimes we think we need rain when there hasn't been any rain....

 His Name Is Love   When you think of the characteristics of Love, what are some of the things you think of? What words come to mind? What situations flood your your thoughts as you think of the times you've seen love on display?  A few days ago I found myself thinking about Love; what it acts like, what it does, how it is recognized. Here are some of the attributes that came to mind. You might agree with some of them: Love searches for and pursues even when it is being ignored. Love lays down its life for someone else. With love, others come first. Love teaches and instructs; patiently. Love will go the distance, no matter how inconvenient or difficult. Love forgives. Love shows compassion without compromise; shows mercy without forsaking justice. Nothing is more able than Love. Its power can break through any situation, crash through space and time. Nothing can stop real love. Now replace the idea of love being a concept, a thing, with the thought of ...

Shocking God Is it possible to shock God?  Is it possible for an honest question or unguarded thought to make Him recoil in disbelief and wonder with hand over mouth, bug-eyed and gasping for breath? Can we rob God of words; causing Him to fish for the right response to our suddenly revealed secret wonderings and doubts? No, it is not possible to shock God.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes ... - Hebrews 4:13 (NLT) Nothing is hidden from Him. Not even our deepest questions and doubts. Then why do we have such a difficult time being completely honest with God? Why can it be so difficult to ask God questions like, "I've been told that the new testament is scripture, but I don't see that. I don't understand that. Will you please show me if that is true, and if it is why?" What?! Do we dare ask such questions? Can I be completely honest with you? If you're afraid to ask such questions, guess wha...

The Poison of Gossip The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. - Proverbs 18:8 There's a woman at work that I barely know. In fact, I don't know her at all. I've never talked to her, and honestly, I barely notice her. I see her in the cafeteria, I see her in the halls. But just like the sensation that occurs when you "wake up" and realize you've just driven miles without even realizing it,so it is with her: "Yes, I saw her, but did I?"  That changed recently. Someone made a comment about this woman, a slight remark; nothing really notable. Just a comment about her work ethic and her ability to understand English. It wasn't mean-spirited, it wasn't revealing any great sin like adultery, murder, or addiction. Just a simple, surely not ill-intentioned comment. But words are more powerful than you may think. You see, the next time I saw that woman, I did notice her. I couldn...

Confidence So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. - Hebrews The Lord gave me a word today and I thought I'd share it with you. Perhaps it will encourage you -   You can't worry about what could be. I have spoken my words over your life to give you assurance, not to detract from your confidence. So, since you are walking in my ways, since you are seeking my face, since you trust in my Son (and don't doubt that) you have a right to all the confidence you want.  Don't doubt that. Remember my name? I am faithful and true; the faithful and true One. That is my name and that is who I am. I am Jesus and you can trust in me. There are many things that would try to rob us of our confidence. Our own failures, our own fears that we will fail. But it is important to remember: it is He who is at work in us, not we in ourselves. The greatest changes come in our liv...

 Words  His words call us to action, not to stress; to prayer, not to complaining. There are words and situations in our lives that try to call us to frazzlement; whispers, thoughts, that call us to shout out in our own strength and myopic perspective, "Unfair, I say, unfair! Not right! Can't be!" Words that lead us down the trail of frustration. A trail we've all taken. A trail you may even be on right now. But His way is the way of peace. The way of letting go.  This way enacts and enables change on a far greater level than our own human effort ever could. It's the difference between a shovel and a snow blower. What would take us two hours with our back and a shovel, becomes twenty minutes with the power of a snow blower. Yes, we can do the fine work with our shovel, but the heavy lifting gets done by the snow blower. See and allow the transformational power of the Holy Spirit. That's where real, lasting results happen. That's the space where...