Today’s Word Is COMMON

Thu-Apr-2-2020

“The Lord prefers common-looking people. That is why he made so many of them.”  ― Abraham Lincoln

Growing up I had a struggle with self-worth. It took me decades to overcome that. I lived under the misconception that I needed to fix myself, and that somehow by becoming perfect I would gain acceptance. There would be no reason for anyone to dislike or reject me. What I needed to learn was that common people have a mixture of strengths and weaknesses, all of which we must embrace.

I am just me. You are just you. We are somehow both unique and yet common. We are not invincible, but more like clay jars that wear out, or get cracks and chips. The scripture calls this a good thing, because it helps us to be humble and yet confident.  Such an attitude leaves us open for God to pour his Spirit and power into us.

“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” – The Apostle Paul (2nd Corinthians 4:7)

Give God thanks for things about yourself that you discover going through your day. If something reveals your fragile nature, don’t curse it. Think of it as another aspect of the tapestry that is you. What seems to us to be flaws in our makeup are really what makes us unique and interesting.

Give thanks that God has blessed a common person like you. Acknowledge that you don’t have to be “special” or “worthy” or “talented” in some way in order to earn God’s approval. Affirm that even though you are fragile, God has stored a life treasure in you. He has a purpose for you and can keep you from falling apart as you use your treasure to touch and bless others.

There is a story about a young girl who takes two clay jars hanging on the ends of a pole and carries them across her shoulders to the well every day to fetch water for the family. One of those jars has a crack in it. On the journey back to the house, water drips slowly from that broken jar. The result is that the neighbors all notice and enjoy the fact that the flowers on that side of the path are always more beautiful.

Others are blessed by our commonness and our vulnerabilities. They are all part of the treasures of God within us. We should appreciate these things about each other, because through them is shown the power of God to use the ordinary to do extraordinary things.

It’s not so bad to be a “cracked pot.”

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is PACE

Wed-Apr-1-2020

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

There are persons you walk with, such as young children, who are running ahead, sometimes too far, and need to be slowed down. Others you walk with seem to be lagging behind, and you wonder why they can’t walk beside you. Whether they are running ahead or falling behind, it becomes difficult to be in conversation. It is an art to walk with someone by keeping pace with each other, sensing when the two of you need to slow down or speed up or pause.

How do you do as far as keeping pace with the Spirit of God? Do you run ahead? Do you lag behind? If so, it makes it difficult to communicate. Stay in pace with Him. This journey is a relationship with an ongoing conversation while traveling.

Our morning and evening quiet times with God are important, and it is good to be still and have fellowship with God, to reflect, learn, be nourished, renew our faith, and receive guidance. But you can also relate as you go, as companions on a journey. This is critical in our faith development, learning to walk with Him, not running ahead, not dragging behind. Keeping the pace may sometimes tax our energy when God is on the move. But sometimes, keeping the pace may mean slowing down a bit.

Let us learn to travel at God’s pace. That gives us the opportunity to see what he sees. He observes the beauty of his creation, and so should we. He hears the cries of people in need, and so should we. He is also aware of our needs on the journey. We can be so busy that we forget to care for ourselves

My wife and I attended a conference by Drs. Francis and Judith MacNutt, well known in healing prayer ministry circles. Francis said they were leading a week-long conference once, and during an afternoon where there was a long break of free time, he and his wife decided to play tennis with some old friends. One conference attendee apparently noticed this and later confronted them about playing tennis during such a serious conference with people trying to learn from them. I believe God enjoyed watching them play tennis! They knew how to keep pace with God, including those times of refreshing and renewal.

Sometimes God’s expectations seem too hard, but he doesn’t think of it that way. He will push you when he needs to. However, he is not trying to punish you, he is working his agenda. He believes in you. You are in partnership together in the Kingdom business. That means traveling at his pace – working, resting, talking, playing, and making a difference in the world – all at his pace.

Have a blessed day!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is HOPE

Tue-Mar-31-2020

We sang a song in church when I was young called “Whispering Hope.” One phrase in it said, “hope is an anchor to keep us, holding both steadfast and sure.” I always liked that analogy … hope is an anchor.

Hope looks to the future with confidence and waits patiently. The Apostle Paul said, “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – (Romans 8:24b-25)

Some hopes are directed at short term needs, and others will take a lifetime to fulfill. Some hopes are directed toward material things, which we know can only bring limited satisfaction and sometimes even create dissatisfaction. How so? Sometimes we discover that “this” was not as fulfilling as we thought it would be, and now we need something more to make us happy.

This cycle is somewhat like the hamster in the wheel, it is never-ending. None of us will ever get enough “stuff” if we only listen to our worldly desires. Now … I am not belittling our desires for material things, I have a few myself. But I am mindful that the marketing we are bombarded with is constantly pushing us to want, want, want. If we become consumed by this, it could diminish our trust in God and our life of faith. Let us hope in the higher things.

The Apostle Paul says: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1st Timothy 6:17)

Look at it this way … Would you rather have a gallon of milk … or be friends with the person who owns the cow? After all, milk spoils. Milk here would symbolize material things which diminish with time. As friends of God, our needs are supplied day by day, including both physical needs and the inner blessings of joy, fulfillment, love, and peace from the Perfect Father. God tends to give out the milk (physical needs) by the glass, by the sip, by the gallon, whatever he chooses for you, so as to build your confidence in his provision. Thus, the material things, as we mature, become secondary. Our hope has refocused on higher things. It makes you shake your head that you ever worried so much about the material things.

If you’re just getting provision by the sip right now,  fear not, God owns it all … everything. So, our hope is rightly directed toward Him. And it is amazing what holding onto hope can do to hold you steady during the storms of life. And no matter how many of our hopes become fulfilled, one at a time, there is always something more to hope for, the greatest and final of these being the hope of heaven.

Remember this … Genuine hope and true joy increase together. On Jesus’ last evening with the disciples in the upper room, he explained as well as he could about his imminent sacrifice and the work of the Holy Spirit to follow, linking them to the joy that is ahead. He didn’t want them to be alarmed or destroyed by the terrible ordeal of his death, because it was all for a reason. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) He was planting a new hope within them, one which would bring joy.

You will know the measure of your trust in God, and you will experience his peace when your unfulfilled hopes do not prevent your joy from being complete. Unfulfilled hopes do not bring us down, they build us up by creating anticipation of God’s good future for us.

Don’t let go of hope and don’t lose your joy,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is WEAPONS

Mon-Mar-30-2020

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.”– Erma Bombeck

God gives gifts to each of us for the benefit of others. Fulfillment will come to rest on you as you discover and use your gifts.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1st Corinthians 12:7)

Several years ago, I spent three years as the host of a live call-in national radio show on XM Satellite radio called “The Healing Touch.” For two hours a night (midnight to 2AM), five nights a week, I took live phone calls from all across the United States, listening to people’s hurts and frustrations, discussing their problems from a Christian faith standpoint, then praying for them. Most of them were truck drivers. We had an 800 number with six incoming lines, and people would sometimes wait as long as forty-five minutes or more just to talk with someone who cared and spoke words of wisdom.

One night I made a comment to a caller about the weapons of spiritual warfare, suggesting that we should use what God gave us, and not return from the “battlefield” with unused weapons.

The next night when I arrived at the studio, my technical engineer, who had a sense of humor and a military father, had laid on my desk a real hand grenade! (Thankfully it had been permanently disarmed.) Every night it laid there in front of me as a reminder to use all my weapons (gifts), because life can be a battle, and I was at war with the forces of darkness on behalf of people who needed hope, help, and healing.

Philippians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

You and I know about the battle going on out there. And if we’re going to get in the fight, we must realize that it is not against “flesh and blood” – meaning it is not against people – but against dark forces. That is why I write this blog, why I did the Healing Touch radio show, why I was a chaplain and pastor, and why I am constantly on the lookout for people wounded by the enemy. Our job is not to “fix people.” We are coming alongside them to set them free and to teach them how to use their own weapons.

And remember, this battle is not just for pastors and leaders to do the fighting. Every Christian is in God’s army. I and others were chosen as leaders, but the life of faith is not about sitting on the sideline watching the “professionals” wage war. In my younger days, my dad the pastor liked the hymn Onward, Christian Soldiers! He was passionate about the work of the Kingdom, and he wanted his whole congregation to be just as passionate.

I hope we can all say in the end that we didn’t let our gifts go unused but put them to work for the benefit of others.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

NOTE: Sometime soon I hope to do a series on each of the six aspects of our spiritual armor. Anyone interested in that?

Today’s Word Is KNOWLEDGE

Fri-Mar-27-2020
It’s Humor Day!

One day, shortly after the birth of their new baby, the mother had to go out to run some errands. The proud papa stayed home to watch his wonderful new son.

Soon after the mother left, the baby started to cry. The father did everything he could think of doing, but the baby wouldn’t stop crying.

Finally, the dad got so worried that he decided to take the infant to the doctor. After the doctor listened to the father relate all that he had done to get the baby to stop crying, the doctor began to examine the baby’s ears, chest and then down to the diaper area. When he opened the diaper, he found that the diaper was indeed full.

“Here’s the problem,” the doctor said, “He needs to be changed!” The father was very perplexed, “But the diaper package says it is good for up to 10 lbs.!”

I’m pretty sure there are books somewhere about how to raise a child. I’m also sure that there are some parents who don’t know such materials exist, and others who wouldn’t read one even if it were laying on the coffee table. Lack of knowledge is a problem.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

According to research, 5% of Americans would be considered Bible-centered, meaning they interact with the Bible frequently, and it is transforming their relationships and shaping their choices. On the other hand, 46% would be classified as Bible-disengaged, having little or no Bible knowledge or interest. The other 49% lie somewhere in between.

Despite the abundance of biblical study materials and other books about growing in faith, many believers are poorly informed about the Bible or various principles of Christian living. Would it be safe to say about our world today that “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”?

And finally, were you astonished by the verse above in which God said, “Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children”? Well, since Hosea’s generation had rejected the knowledge of God, then the next generation’s hopes would seem to be even more bleak. God needed that present generation to wake up and repent so that their children could be taught.

I hope some of this has fanned your flame and encouraged you to dig in a little more. It has for me just in the process of writing this.

Have a blessed weekend,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is OVERWHELMED

Thu-Mar-26-2020

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” – King David (Psalm 61:2)

Oh my goodness, the King of Israel, the famous David, the victor in battle, the stable force of safety, the direct ancestor of our Lord Jesus … don’t tell me … does he actually get overwhelmed sometimes?! Oh, yes! And the Psalms are full of his every emotion … every high and every low.

But he has a solution … he wants something or someone to remind him where to turn. When he says, “Lead me to the Rock,” who is he talking to? What is he talking about? Well, David knows that in overwhelming circumstances, when he has momentarily failed to hear the direct voice of God and be aware of the divine presence, he needs help. So he is appealing to God to use some trigger, some attention-getter, to redirect his thoughts back to God the Rock.

I’ve felt overwhelmed quite a few times in my life. Somewhere in the midst of that, I too need some kind of trigger that turns my head and helps me to recall who I am and whose I am. This sudden intervention of truth, thought, or revelation can then lead me to “the Rock that is higher than I.”

So, what does God do to accomplish that? Sometimes he uses one of my friends, or even a stranger, as that trigger, sometimes it is something I see, or a Bible verse that pops into my head. The Spirit of God gives me this startle in which I remember that I don’t have to suffer from being overwhelmed. And it speaks into my spirit that there is a Rock that I can stand on.

Once I reach a calmer frame of mind, I can shake my head at myself, and ask … how was it that I forgot during this experience that God is close by … as close as my breath … within my being … that I do not have to be overwhelmed. He is my Rock. Nothing can shake me loose.

I try not to be unnecessarily critical of myself or wallow in guilt about letting myself get overwhelmed. My enemy wants me to respond by “beating myself up.” God tells me he understands my lapse, and that he can pick me up and we’ll keep going.

If your heart is overwhelmed, may something or someone lead you to the Rock that is higher. In the outdoor world, the higher you get, the better your perspective. Receive his assurance and let that overwhelming feeling subside.

Blessings!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is WITHIN

Tue-Mar-25-2020

In J.R.R. Tolkein’s book “The Hobbit” there is a point on the expedition to destroy the dragon where Gandalf the wizard has to leave the group to tend to other business, so he puts Bilbo Baggins in charge temporarily. The dwarves are displeased, as they regard Bilbo the hobbit to be lowly and incapable. One of the dwarves should be in charge by their way of thinking … after all, they are warriors and superior to hobbits.

But Gandalf persists, saying, “There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself.”

Now, as you may or may not know, J.R.R. Tolkein, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a close friend and confidant of C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Both writers wove Christian themes into these works of fiction, and for Tolkien, the character of Gandalf was a Christ-figure.

When my children were elementary age, we had a cassette tape condensed version of The Hobbit, which we would listen to in the car as we drove on trips many times. And when the narrative would reach this scene, Gandalf would say (in the condensed version), “Bilbo Baggins, there is more about you than you know.” And then, I would pause the tape, and say to each of the kids, one at a time, calling them by name – “There is more about you than you know.” And they soon started saying back to me in unison, with delight and a giggle, “Daddy, there’s more about you than you know!” They are mid-life now, but still remember this line, as if it were imprinted on their hearts.

Do you believe that about yourself? Do you realize that God has planted things within you of which you are not aware? If not, then you’re somewhat like Gideon in the Old Testament. God’s people had called out in desperation because of the attacks of the Midianites. So, God sent an angel to Gideon to inform him that he had been chosen to lead the Israelites to do battle.

And the angel of the LORD appeared to [Gideon] and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:11)

Gideon vented some frustrations about how God seemed to have abandoned his people. So, the angel explained that now was the time to solve the problem and Gideon was chosen of God to pull it off. Gideon’s response was not … “Oh, boy! Thanks for picking me! I’m your man!” Nope … it was more like … “Great idea, but you’ve got the wrong guy!”

“Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:15-16)

Have you ever felt like God needed to do something about a situation, but you were quite certain it should be handled by someone besides you?

If so, then I pass this on to you … “There is more about you than you know!” God has hidden things within you. Don’t be intimidated. When Gideon questioned why he was chosen, God didn’t give a run-down on Gideon’s advantages. he just said, “I will be with you.” God is not going to hand you an advance list of what is within you. You are going to discover as you go.

As in the Hobbit story, don’t listen to the “dwarves” who think you are not fit for the task. Listen to God, who sees within you the gifts and strengths that you do not yet realize are there. As often as needed, say to yourself, “Yes Lord, I can. Because there is more about me than I know! And best of all, you will be with me.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is COST

Tue-Mar-24-2020

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” — Muhammad Ali

Every accomplishment, every activity, every possession, and every relationship each has a cost and a benefit.

The prize fighter Ali knew that the great accomplishment of a world championship of boxing would come at the high cost of rigorous and relentless training. The world is full of people who have underachieved simply because they were not willing to do the unpleasant, difficult steps to become who they were meant to be and to achieve the goals along the way that lead to success in life.

Every activity in which we participate is the same. Going to the movies has a cost and a benefit. The same is true with our possessions. Sometimes folks pay more than what something is worth at face value because they may get an added intangible benefit. For instance, wearing a certain brand of clothing or watch, driving a certain car, or living in a certain neighborhood might seem of greater value than just the base value of the item.

Before we invest in something, we count the cost to see if it is worth it, and if we are willing or able to pay the price.

Jesus said, “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)

There’s a hidden meaning here … You and I have enough resources to do lots of things in life. But only one had the ability and willingness to accomplish the redemption of mankind from sin. That was God. So, he “counted the cost,” which was the life of his son. And he was willing to pay thar price. The benefit of God’s restoring the relationship between himself and his people came at a high cost.

There are certain things that we can’t achieve on our own, because it is not within our ability to accomplish or we are unable to pay the price. The cost is too high. Salvation is one of those things.

Did God achieve the goal of restoring our relationship to him? Yes, he did. The cost was extreme. He sent his son, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Because of what was achieved “for” you, new doors are open “to” you. I would define success as living a life of deeply and fully loving God and passionately loving others with the love he gives us. There is a great cost and sacrifice for us in this. But his cost was infinitely higher. And the benefit is too extraordinary to measure.

The saying, “God helps those who help themselves” is not biblical. It is the other way around! God gave “his help” up front, for free. That’s what opens the door for us to achieve greatness. Once we receive this gift of salvation, we learn that we will have to make sacrifices in order to accomplish the purposes that God placed within us. But it is well worth it for us, just as it was for him.

Is there something difficult, unpleasant, or sacrificial that you need to do that has a higher purpose? Jesus set the example and unlocked the door for you to do that.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is COLLABORATE

Mon-Mar-23-2020

Do you sometimes feel like giving up on something? … Even though it is very important? But it just isn’t working out?

Maybe your usual way of solving things is not getting results. This happens to folks who compartmentalize God. Although He has promised to “walk” with us, never forsake us, it is like we keep him in the back seat of our “car.” And thus, it is a bit misleading to tell people that “I know God is with me” … if “with me” means he’s just a silent passenger (who would really like to say something if invited!).

There are folks who rarely discuss things with God throughout the day. It’s no wonder that things frequently don’t work out so well. Our best friend, the wisest of all, is waiting for the invitation not just to help, but to be our guide, our wisdom, our everything. Instead we go about solving daily problems without Him, and sometimes give up on important things too soon.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the disciples didn’t know what to do next, so several of them went out in their boat fishing (their old career). They were having no luck, when a man called to them from the shore. (At first, they didn’t realize it was Jesus.)

So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. (John 21:5-6)

God wants us to collaborate. “Co-“ means together, “labor” means work … work together!! And not just occasionally … all day … every day. God doesn’t need to be a passenger; he needs to be driving our car!

Often, we are throwing our nets on the wrong side of the boat. We have our own habits, methods, and solutions. If we listened to God, there is another way … a “God way” that is outside our logic. Don’t be afraid to cast your nets “one more time” before you give up. And listen to God, because he may not have you cast your nets in the “same old place.”

My guess is that the disciples remembered this scenario happening before, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when he called Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow him. They had fished all night with no catch.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. (Luke 5:4-6)

There may be a “catch of fish” waiting under the water, but you keep coming up empty. Maybe your first job is just to believe it is there. The success God wants you to have is not just to catch the fish, it is to “co-labor” with him in doing it … to “collaborate” in the success. What are you facing that in your mind has no reasonable solution? For me … well … I have this stormwater problem under my driveway that is threatening our property, and I haven’t found a solution yet. But I am not giving up, because God knows where the answer is, and in his good timing he will reveal the solution.

In these uncertain times, you may be dealing with a looming financial crisis. Even though the answer is not visible to you, it is visible to God. And this fact applies to any problem, not just financial ones. Do you have a problem child? Difficulty at work? Health issues? Keep listening to the voice of Jesus. He is right there in the situation with you. And at the right time, things will work out, probably in a manner you do not imagine, and you will confess the name of Jesus as the supplier of your need. As Simon said, “… because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is AGING

It’s Humor Day!
Fri-Mar-20-2020

OK … I know most of you are not as old as I am, so here is a taste of what’s coming. These are hymn titles for the aging …

Top 10 Hymns For Senior Citizens …

#10 – Precious Lord, Take my Hand, And Help Me Up

#9 – It is Well with My Soul, But My Knees Hurt

#8 – Nobody Knows the Trouble I have Seeing

#7 – Amazing Grace, Considering My Age

#6 – Just a Slower Walk With Thee

#5 – Count Your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One

#4 – Go Tell It on the Mountain, And Speak Up

#3 – Give Me that Old Timers Religion

#2 – Blessed Insurance

#1 – Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah, I’ve Forgotten Where I Parked My Car

Does anyone else identify? Or maybe you know someone who does … your mom, dad, grandparents? Whatever your age, growing older is not for wimps! Do you have the heart and wisdom to age gracefully?

As a pastor, I have seen my share of bitter senior citizens. They can tell you their long list of everything that ever went wrong, and all about their present level of dissatisfaction. But their joy has been stolen!

Thankfully there are many, many older folks who have a better outlook. We can learn a lot from those who have this spirit of love, encouragement, joy, and wisdom.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2nd Corinthians 4:16)

Throughout the ups and downs of life, I have found something positive about every stage and every age. I do my best to enjoy where and who I am now; and I look forward to the next age. I think that’s how God wants it to be. If we can laugh at ourselves at any age while still taking life seriously, we will find the joy God intended.

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. (Deuteronomy 34:7)

Have a blessed, restful, and joyful weekend,

Chaplain Mark

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. (Ecclesiastes 7:10)