Snowbird or Bust...

Well it is hard to imagine that summer is upon us again. Seems the older I get the faster time flies! Tomorrow morning at 6:00 40 of our Jr. High and Sr. High students and adults will leave for Summer Camp. This year we will be doing a mission outreach oriented camp at Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters in the mountains of North Carolina. Will you please be praying for our trip as God puts us on your heart this week. Please pray specifically for the hearts of our students and our team to be transformed. Pray for those we will be serving. Pray especially that Jesus will be glorified. Watch this blogsite as well as my Facebook feed for daily updates and photos.

Waiting on Him,

ML

What is around your neck?

How is that for an interesting title?  Without further explanation you may be wondering about a necklace, a tie, a scarf or maybe even a noose.  relax, I am not referring to any of those.  You may find it strange but I am actually talking about love and kindness.  Do you wear your love and kindness around your neck?  OK, so where did I get such a crazy idea? I am just the messenger.  During my reading today, I started reading in Proverbs again.  It has been some time since I read the book of Proverbs.  I am never bored or inattentive when reading Proverbs. The words are so full of wisdom and insight!  Are you having a daily quiet time? Are you working on your intimacy with God?  The only way this can happen is by spending time with Him! Reading His word.  Praying to Him. OK, rabbit trail...

Proverbs 3:3-4 says:
3Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4Then you will favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

So, why in the world should we wear love and faithfulness around our neck?  Well, it seems that if we wear it around our neck we will not forget it is there.  How much easier it is to avoid anger and other unpleasant attitudes when we have our love and faithfulness around our necks to remind us to, well,... Love and be faithful.  Not to mention, if we have our love and faithfulness on display, others will be able to see it in how we live and in how we interact with them.  What a great witness for Christ!  Loving others.  Being a blessing.  So, when you are at the grocery store, Wal-Mart, (even in the long line behind the customer that does not know how to use the self-serve scanner with a basket full of groceries) let your love and faithfulness shine!  

I cannot tell you how often I allow petty and temporary circumstances to derail my love and faithfulness.  So, as for today I am going to endeavor to keep my securely fastened around my neck.  If doing it symbolically doesn't work I may try painting the words Love and Faithfulness on a big flat rock and hanging it around my neck as a reminder!

If you need some suggestions on how to start a daily quiet time, email me: mlane@gccec.org

Waiting on Him,

ML

Out with the old, in with the new!

I cannot believe that so much time has passed since my last post.  I have truly missed sharing my heart and fully intend to be more consistent in the coming year.  So much has happened in my life since I last posted on here.  In addition, I find myself in these last few days of 2011 reflecting on this past year.  In doing so, I am reminded of so many things.  I think of the victories, the defeats, the successes, the failures, the times of rejoicing and the times of sadness.  I am reminded of how in every situation, God has been ever present.  Why am I surprised at this?  His word tells that ... "Behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20)  See, Jesus promises to be with us through the good and the bad.  We have a responsibility to learn from our mistakes.  We need to make sure that as we enter into this NEW YEAR, that we are firmly rooted in our relationship with Jesus.  It is in this relationship that we find the peace, strength, wisdom and other provision to live a Godly life.

I challenge you this week to reflect on this past year.  Spend some time, alone with God and ask Him to remind and reveal things to you.  Maybe you need to commit or recommit to spend time with Him each day, crying out to Him, surrendering to Him.  Maybe you need to start being that spiritual leader in your home and be the example that your family needs to help them in their walk with Christ.  Maybe you need to find a place in your local church where you can get plugged in and use your gifts to build up the kingdom.  Maybe you need to be more intentional about sharing Jesus with others, not just with your mouth but with your feet.  Maybe you need to be a better steward with the resources you have been given such as time, money and talent.  Maybe you need to get plugged into a small group so that you can build up others and others can build you up.  As for me... I need to consider all of these areas.

There is just something about a new year that commands a renewed perspective.  It just seems natural to take an inventory of our lives and determine what we need to do better and more effectively.  I am not sure about you, but I am thankful for a God that offers new mercies and new blessings each day.  Let's make sure we honor Him with how we live our lives in 2012 and for the remaining time we have until He comes for us...  If you are unsure about where you will spend eternity, please contact me as soon as possible, I would be honored to share how Jesus saved me and how He wants to do the same for you.

Waiting on Him,
ML

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

OK, so most of us have taken time to read the directions on the shampoo bottle at least once.  While we could take some time to debate how many times we are supposed to "repeat" this process, I want to focus on how this concept of doing something over and over applies to our faith walk with Jesus.  I have been studying through the book of Philippians and Paul has given us so much within these four books to challenge, encourage, teach, and help us as we seek to follow Jesus.

In Phil. 4:4 we read; "Rejoice in the Lord always and  I will say it again rejoice"  Sound familiar? (Wash. Rinse. Repeat.)   Now, intuition tells me that if something is repeated a second time it must be important.  Paul is letting the Philippians (and us) know that we are to rejoice.  Period.  When things are going your way, rejoice.  When things are difficult, rejoice.  When people disappoint you, rejoice.  When the wheels come off, and the Ox goes in the ditch, rejoice.  I am so hard headed that I need to see and hear this a number of times before I take it to heart.  Then when I think I have it down, I need to be reminded again.

See, it is God's will that we rejoice in all things and not be a slave to the burdens of life in this world.  James promised us in Chapter 1 that WE WILL HAVE TROUBLES!  We need to take heart because Jesus has this and all circumstances under control and He DOES NOT need our help, He needs our faith.  Paul goes on to say later in chapter 4 of Philippians (v.6) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  This is further proof that we are not to take ownership of our struggles, but instead with a thankful heart, bring them to the problem solver!  And then we can experience the promise of verse 7- (my paraphrase)- "Only then can we experience the peace of God. The peace that our finite little human minds cannot begin to comprehend, and that same peace will offer a protective shield around our hearts and minds which is where anxiety is born and raised!"

So, I want to challenge you to do a couple of things:
1. Read Philippians chapter 4 before you go to bed tonight
2. Read Philippians 1,2 & 3 this week.
3. Put into practice Phil. 4:6
4. Tell someone else what Jesus did for you on the cross

Waiting on Him,
ML

What have YOU done for ME lately?

We live in a "What have you done for me lately" world don't we?  It seems like everywhere we turn there are people with expectations of us.  It is so easy to get caught up in trying to meet the demands and expectations of others.  Sometimes, we even have selfish motives for this pursuit of others' approval.  I know, some truths are just hard to hear.  Keep in mind, not hearing the truth does not make it less true!  We live in a society where we are all expected to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, (What are bootstraps anyway?).  We are expected by the world to make our own way and accomplish anything we want under our own power and authority.  DOING more perpetuates more and greater rewards.  Work harder, get noticed, get a raise and promotion.  At home, maybe we replace genuine love for our spouse by working harder and bringing home more money.  Maybe we give our kids everything they ask for in place of spending time with them and pouring into them.  All of these behaviors are based on "us doing".

Is your spiritual life based on the same principal?  Are you working your way into heaven?  Are you relying on your own actions and efforts to ensure your relationship with Jesus is intact?  If this is the case in your life I want to urge you to continue reading.  See, salvation through Christ has EVERYTHING to do with what HE did and NOTHING to do with what we do or did.  We read in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved by faith- and this not from (insert your name here), it is the gift of God, not by works so that (insert your name here) cannot boast."  See, Jesus did the "doing" on the cross.  Salvation and eternity in heaven have nothing to do with how good you are, (Our righteousness is like filthy rags- Isa. 64:6) how much you do or don't do.

Be encouraged, 2 Cor. 6:2 reminds us that "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the time of salvation"  I want to challenge you today to trust in Jesus Christ for your provision.  His grace is sufficient.  Are you willing to stop living under the yoke of "I GOTTA DO MORE"?  Keep seeking, keep praying.  Let's change to a "WHAT HAS HE DONE FOR ME TODAY" mentality!

Waiting on Him,
ML

What Are You Gonna Do With Your Life?

What a question!  I remember being asked this question when I was in Jr. High School, maybe even before that. I especially remember considering this while in High School.  As the father of a 16 year old daughter who is a junior in High School, this question is floating around in our house even now.  What do you wanna do when you grow up?  I don't really care for the phrasing in that format... My wife is all but convinced that I will never grow up. (She may be right!)  Having been married for 18 years, my wife has watched me make some career changes.  Some were lateral type moves, one sales job to another in pursuit of a better opportunity.  There was also a time when I was advancing up the corporate ladder into mid-level management of a medium sized company.  At 42 years old the longest I have stayed in one place has been 5 1/2 years.  (I went back and spent another 1 1/2)  See, at that point in my life God was using secular employment to prepare me for ministry.

I regret to tell you that at one point during this part of my professional life I lost sight of what was important in my life.  I allowed my priorities to get out of order.  I became focused on success in my job and I did it at the expense of my relationship with Jesus and also at the expense of my family.  They got what was left over and that usually was not very much.  See, I forgot that my significance was not in success, financial gain or another promotion, my significance was and always has been in Jesus Christ.  It was Him that died to save me.  It was Him that rescued me from a life of sin and destruction that would have led me to eternal separation from God.  Yet, I was so selfish that I neglected Him and even the wonderful family He entrusted to my care.

Now listen, before you go and quit your job, cash in whats left of your 401k and spend the remainder of your life on the mission field, (Unless God is leading you that way!) I want to clarify a few things.  We have to support our families.  We have to support our church with tithes and offerings.  I am not suggesting that you forsake your career.  I am asking that you be willing to take a good hard look at the priorities in your life.  We are called to be good stewards with what God has entrusted to us.  I do think that this means our job.

My challenge is that your first priority is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  You must have this vertical relationship intact if you have any hope of having horizontal (earthly) relationships intact.  Do not deprive the Giver of Life of your devotion.  He deserves it and He desires it.  Next, love your spouse like there is no tomorrow, he/she is a gift from God.  Pour into your family.  They need to see Godly parents living a life in pursuit of holiness and righteousness.  Allow your vocation to serve as a funding source for your personal ministry.  See, God has already prescribed a plan for your life.  You can read about it in Ephesians 2:10- "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do."

Will you allow Jesus to be the priority in your life?  Will you trust Him to direct your path as you obey the call He has on your life?  I pray you will.

Waiting on Him,
ML

Enough is Enough!

What a week it has been.  Have you seen the hand of God in the last week?  I can tell you with all sincerity that I have seen God at work in many ways.  The last week has been difficult in our community and in my ministry, yet through this difficulty, God reigns!

How about you?  What is going on in your life that has you wondering how much more you can take?  Are you at a place where you are thinking to yourself or maybe even telling others, I just can't take anymore!  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  When will it stop?  Maybe you are wondering what it is that God is trying to teach you through this season of your life.  Maybe you are wondering if God even cares.  I pray this is not the case, but maybe you are wondering if God even is...

I can assure you, God most definitely is!  He is and  He cares.  He cares about you more than you can imagine.  He knows everything going on in your life, the good, the bad and the ugly!  Ecclesiastes 7:14 tells us that He made the good days and the bad!  His desire is that we run so hard and so fast toward Him that we cannot be deterred by the circumstances of life.

See, Enough is Enough is the right attitude.  Enough is Enough is exactly the mindset we should have.  But we need to have it in the right context...

In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul is talking about this thorn in his flesh that God allowed in order to keep him humble.  See, Paul was an incredible man of God who was devoted to sharing the Gospel and suffered greatly for his devotion to Christ.  He pleaded with God to remove this thorn and I am reminded about how we ask God to take away the bad things in our lives.  We ask Him to deliver us from the struggles we face and stop the pain and suffering we experience.  His response to Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 is the same response He has for us today... Enough is Enough! When Paul pleaded for the 3rd time to have this thorn removed Jesus said (Verse 9), "My grace is sufficient for you.  My power is made perfect in weakness"  See, His grace is enough for you and I!  And enough IS enough.  Be encouraged, the Jesus that spoke to Paul wants to speak into your life today and help you be victorious in your struggles!  He wants you to cast your cares upon Him!  Enough IS Enough!  My challenge to you this week is to read  2 Corinthians chapter 12 1-10 and ask God to speak to you.  Are you spending time with Him daily?  Are you seeking His will for your life?  I am praying that you do!

Waiting on Him,
ML