Where Are You Going?

John 14:5-6 (NIV) 

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There was a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, "We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it. Everything is okay."

The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, "Dr. Einstein, please don't worry about it. I know who you are."

Einstein looked up and said, "I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going!"

Like Einstein, we often don't know where we are going. That's why we are often compared in the Scriptures to sheep -- animals which have a very poor sense of direction. They have no idea where they came from or where they're going. That's one of the reasons they are in such dire need of a shepherd.

Like sheep, we have all "gone astray." (Isa. 53:6). We need someone to show us the way. And Jesus not only shows us the way -- he IS the way!

Dear Lord, we thank You for the direction that You give to each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Is Your Walk With God Close?

Genesis 7:5 (NIV)

And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

Anne Graham Lotz was born and reared in Montreat, North Carolina, the second daughter of evangelist Billy Graham and his wife Ruth. Anne is the wife of Dr. Dan Lotz and the mother of three children. A gifted speaker, Anne has taught Bible Study Fellowship, a weekly Bible study class in Raleigh, North Carolina of over 500 women. Her original class multiplied until today there are ten other classes of similar size in Raleigh. When Anne and Dan attend football games at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, thousands of people cram in the parking lots, and she is unable to see where she's going. However, her husband, a head taller at 6'7", can look over the crowd, so he takes her hand and leads them to their seats. "The way I get from the car to my seat is just by holding his hand and following him closely through the crowd," Lotz says. She follows the same procedure with the Lord. "I just try to faithfully follow the Lord step by step and day by day," she says. "Ten years from now, I just want to look back and know that to the best of my ability I have been obedient to God's call on my life."

The secret to having a closer walk with God is following the Lord step by step.

Dear Lord, help us to walk with You throughout the day. In everything we do help us to let You lead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Are You Listening?

Deuteronomy 15:5 (KJV)

Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

Every doctor makes mistakes or misses conditions we should have found. Among the thousands of patient encounters we have every year, doctors are bound to make some errors in judgment, or flat-out mistakes. Even if a doctor is right 99.9% of the time, he or she would still make several significant mistakes every year.

Here is a story told by a doctor.

I made one such mistake one day when I lived and worked in New Orleans - the crescent city, the city that care forgot, the Big Easy. Usually these stories start out with the statement, "It was an incredibly busy day". Not so on this day. The morning was easy. I had patients to see but did not feel rushed. One of the nurses put the chart in front of me and said, "Here, dawlin'." (I miss the little terms of endearment that people use in New Orleans - darling, sweety, sugar.) "Kid got hit with a ball last night."

I found James, a trim and strong 15 year-old boy with a large bruise on the right side of the forehead. The plum colored bruise approximated the size of the baseball that had been tossed to him (and missed) the night before. He had vomited once after the hit but slept well that night and awakened with only a mild headache. He smiled at me and only winced a little when I pressed on his forehead. After finishing my exam, I reassured his parents that all seemed to be well and that x-rays were not needed. They went home happy, and I continued with my day. Things became more hectic as the hours passed. Normally a kid with a bump on the head would not enter my thoughts again. After a quick lunch, however, an unusual feeling came to me. I felt urged to call the boy's mother. In the midst of the typical E. R. chaos, I asked the unit clerk to call their house. I almost never do this. I could remember calling a guy the next day after I found no injuries in spite of an extensive evaluation. He had fallen from a car while mooning a carload of girls - going 55 MPH on I-10. That's a story on its own. That guy was fine. James was not. I learned that he had slept most of the morning and vomited after he awakened. I asked the parents to bring James back right away.

The CAT scan of the head showed an epidural hematoma. This bleeding outside the covering of the brain is extremely dangerous and requires quick attention - usually an operation. I transferred him to Children's Hospital and he went to surgery that day. He did well. On my way home that night I wondered why, out of the blue, I decided to call the mother of a boy who did not appear to have a significant injury. I'm convinced that God's grace touched James that day. James and his family were saved from a terrible tragedy, and the emotional devastation that comes with the death or neurological injury of a child. My being saved the anguish of a terrible mistake and of the certain litigation that would have resulted was a nice byproduct of this. I doubt, however, that God was really thinking too much about me. I was a side player in His reordering of events. I'm not counting on him bailing me out again. I lost track of James and don't know what he is doing now. I have a feeling though, that eventually James will do something important and meaningful in his life - with God's grace.

How often do we fail to hear the still small voice of God speaking to us?  Are we to busy or preoccupied to hear when God is telling us to do. Take the time today to listen, really listen.

Dear Lord, We pray that we would slow down and listen to Your voice. Help us do what Your will for us today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Will You Ask For Direction?

Job 23:10 (NIV)

But he knows the way that I take;

    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

I read a story about a man who used to keep this verse taped to the steering wheel of his car. He tells his story like this.

I used to keep this verse taped to the driving wheel of my car,   especially on long trips out of state because, as you perfectly well know, guys like me don't often ask for directions. Whenever I got lost anywhere, I would just stubbornly keep on going until I would eventually have to stop and talk to a local. Usually, I did the stopping, and Evelyn would get out and do the asking.

I can remember our first year over here, when we were staying at Disney World, getting lost somewhere in Kissimmee, Florida. Instead of heading back to the resort, I was stubbornly taking us all out into the swamps. We'd probably still be there, if Evelyn hadn't insisted stopping at a gas station to get directions.

Just as guys like me are bad at asking for road directions, people are also bad at asking God for guidance. We sometimes get ourselves into bad situations and have chronic problems, but instead of seeking God's counsel, we stubbornly hold on to our own beliefs and stick to our own ways of handling our problems. You would think that we would all learn from experience, but we don't. I guess that's why God kept calling the Israelites stubborn and stiff-necked. If only they had taken His advice and followed His ways, perhaps they wouldn't have spent forty years wandering in the wilderness!

Anyway, whatever we're facing, whatever we fear, whatever problems or issues we have in our lives, let's ask God for help and take time to listen to Him. Otherwise, we're going to go around in spiritual circles and unresolved cycles.

What a great lesson we can all learn, Why not go to our Lord and ask for direction.  He is there to guide us and lead us if we are willing.

Dear Lord, help us to make the time to talk to You about what we're going through right now. Help us to be patient and quiet, ready to receive Your direction and to accept Your guidance. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Will You Follow?

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Cecil F. Alexander tells a story how she used this verse for comfort:

I have been living in a retirement community for the past eighteen months. During this time, I have become acutely aware that there are people whose needs are not always met. I would rationalize and think, What is that to me? However, I began taking several individuals' needs to the Lord in prayer.

Over the past several months, I have often sat in the lobby after meals. One night, I looked to see if I could be of help to either a resident or staff member. During this time, there was a distraught younger woman at the desk, expressing a concern about a family member. I recognized the woman. However, being very tired, I decided to go to my room. But the Holy Spirit had other plans for me.

Before I could leave the lobby to go to my room, my feet took me to the resident's room. There was the distraught woman, the resident's daughter. She greeted me at the door and almost pushed me into the room, saying, "Why don't you come in and visit awhile?" So I did. The daughter left for the evening. The resident was in her bed. I sat down and talked with her. She was anxious because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to sleep. I recited this Scripture to her:

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

I explained that we are not to be anxious, but by prayer, we can experience a peace that we cannot understand. I told her how God's peace has come over me when I have been in the same situation. I reassured her that God has asked us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 NIV) Then I began singing some of the old gospel hymns, to which she would join in, as she remembered them. She said she thought that God had sent me to her room. He sure did! Before I left, I asked her if I could pray for her, and she agreed.

I was glad that God gave me this opportunity and that I acted upon it. I praise Him for bringing to remembrance the Scriptures and words to the hymns that I sang. I am thankful that I could sing them. My voice was crackly and weak, but God used this encounter for His glory.

There are times when we sense the guidance of the Holy Spirit asking us to follow His leading. Are we willing to follow His lead?

Dear Lord, help us to recognize Your leading and to be willing to follow through and do Your will. Help us to overcome our timidity, and give us opportunities today to be Your helpers in assisting others in their time of need. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God's App

Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV)

Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;

    it is not for them to direct their steps.

Last winter, a powerful blizzard ripped through North Dakota causing white-out conditions which stranded hundreds of motorists across the state. “Snow whipped up by wind marred the lines between pavement and grassy drop-offs, leaving some scared motorists unsure what to do,” reports Dave Kolpack.

Two software developers have developed an application (an “app”) for iPhone and Android smartphone users that can help people in these dangerous situations. Bob Bertsch, an employee with the North Dakota State University Extension Service, and Jake Joraanstad, an NDSU computer engineering major, designed the free app called “Winter Survival Kit” to be both “a primer to help motorists prepare for winter driving and a beacon when things go badly,” according to Kolpack. The app can pinpoint a motorist's location, call 911, notify friends and family, and monitor how long the gasoline in the vehicle will hold out. Stranded motorists can also tap a big red button that reads “I’m Stranded!” on the app’s simple home screen to send out an emergency alert.

"It's our sincere hope that no one ever has to use it," said Bertsch. "But if one person does have to use it and it keeps them in their car or keeps them from succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning, then it is definitely worth the time and effort that was spent on the app."

Consider another “APP”lication…

Life can be as confusing – and even dangerous – as white-out conditions in a blizzard. Jeremiah said, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

But God has provided an “APP” to give us help, guidance, and instructions for the abundant life now (John 10:10) and eternal life to come (Mark 10:29-30). The APP is the Bible, God’s Word. The Psalmist declared, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

This APP informs us of our lost condition in sin and how, in sin, we are doomed to destruction (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Matthew 7:13-14). However, this APP also proclaims the Good News (the Gospel) that God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). Through Jesus, we can have LIFE – abundant and eternal (John 10:10; 14:6)!

In order to enjoy these blessings and be saved, we must APPLY the “APP” to our lives. God has promised to save those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Those who continue to follow the APP’s instructions will continue to have their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7).

Won’t YOU APPLY God’s APP (His Word) to your life so that you may know the Way to life eternal?

Dear Lord we pray that today we would share this great APP that You have provided for us. Help us share it with those that need it today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Ready to Serve?

Psalm 92:14-15 (NASB)

14 They will still yield fruit in old age;

They shall be full of sap and very green,

15 To declare that the Lord is upright;

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

As a weather buff the story of world's largest weather-vane intrigued me. Yukon is the home to the to it.

Much to my amazement the weather-vane was a DC3, a Douglas plane serial No. 4665!

With a length of 64 feet 5.5 inches and a wingspan of 95 feet, this plane swivels around at the top of a pedestal, always faithfully pointing into the wind. No wonder it is the largest weather-vane in the world!

This particular DC3 hasn't always been a weather-vane  however. It was built in August 1942, during World War II, and its first mission, under the disguise of camouflage, was to transport goods into India and China.

After the war it was acquired by the Canadian authorities and issued registration "CF-CPY". It flew many routes throughout Canada, especially in the Yukon. With a total flying time of 31,581 hours, it can certainly be said that it served its country well!

The CF-CPY's usefulness appeared to end however, one fateful day in November 1970, when it crashed. It wasn't until seven years later that the Yukon Flying Club undertook the task of restoring the plane, and after 4 years of work, it is now mounted on its pedestal to forever show the citizens of Whitehorse what direction the wind is blowing. It would seem that despite the crash, the usefulness of this particular DC3 carries on!

Reflecting on this, I realize that once someone retires from active duty, the "golden years" sometimes turn out to be stale and lifeless. But they don't have to be! One's usefulness is only over when we let it be over!

I read of a lady who had dreamed her entire life of becoming a missionary to China. She was never able to fulfill her dream until after she had retired! She then went through the training, applied to the mission’s board, and began serving in China. Just before this lady left the western world, she was diagnosed with cancer. This didn't stop her, however. To her it didn't matter where you died, as long as you were in the will of the Lord when you did!

I heard of another elderly gentleman who was dying in his hospital bed. Most would think that his usefulness was completely used up, but one night he took the time to talk about Jesus with a fellow patient. He was able to lead this roommate to the Lord, and his dying words were, "Another one out of the grasp of Satan!"

I know of young people who couldn't care less if they were useful in life or not. If they could have their own way, they would lie on the coach and watch T.V. 24/7! So as you can see, one's usefulness is not restricted by age. Rather it is lack of determination and willingness that restricts usefulness!

What are you plans with your life? How will You serve God?

Dear Lord, we pray that we would serve You no matter what stage of life we are in. Help us be willing to serve right where we are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.