I Need Help

I went to lunch today. At the moment I walked in the individual working was already complaining to a customer.

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She was hurried and rude as she took my order. She told the woman in front of me; “We just opened so you’ll have to wait for ice”. A gentleman came in after me and she yelled; “I’m all alone back here, it’s going to be a while”. Several minutes later a young man walked in and she yelled; “Oh no, we’ve had too many customers. Either you’ll have to wait or the food is going to suffer”.

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It wasn’t until later, when a co-worker came in that I came to understand that she was upset because she was there all alone. 

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I don’t share this to complain but, instead, to share a thought.

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Do we sometimes complain those we are called to serve because we are feeling overwhelmed? Do we sometimes hurry and rush those that we are called to share with because we feel overburdened? Do we sometimes yell at those that we are called to help rather than taking our needs to the one that can come along side us and give us peace and lift our burdens? 

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If you are feeling overwhelmed or overburdened today, God cares and can help. Perhaps He is simply waiting for you to call out to Him for assistance.

Psalm 121 - God Is

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121)

Let us remember that when we are facing the dark days that this world brings our way, that God is still on the throne; He is our help in times of hardship, He is our comfort in times of doubt, He is security in times of uncertainty, He is our power in times of exhaustion, He is our refuge in times of trouble, He is our light in times of darkness, He is our strength in times of weakness. 

Let us remember to lift our eyes to The Lord, on His mighty and powerful throne, that He and He alone is our help.  

WWJD: Immigration

I read the news everyday and find that more and more of it focuses on gay rights (with same-sex marriage rights being passed in several states and California passing a law to include prominent gay rights issues in their public school textbooks) and immigration (with much of the nations funds directed at protecting our boarders and deporting illegal immigrants). Perhaps you've read some of the same articles.

Just today I wrote a blog relating to my stance on the homosexual lifestyle, I know where I stand on this. But, I am not so sure where I stand on the issue of immigration. You see, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I think it best to find out what He thought, what He said, and determine how He would have acted if He had lived in the United States today. I've been searching the scripture for an answer on this and I have yet to find it.

So, I'm asking for some help here; tell me, what do the Scriptures have to say about immigration, about boarders between countries, and about protecting our own and taking care of other people and other lands AFTER we have covered our own desires first? Let me know through Email, Twitter or Facebook. I hope to hear from you!

Rest Assured

I was reading Psalm 121 the other day;

"I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:1-4)

Our youngest son is having some major issues sleeping right now, we are not sure if it is all because of his new teeth, because he feels bad, because he has established this as his schedule, or a mix of all three. Either way, my wife bears most of the burden of sitting with him and caring for him in the middle of the night. A couple nights ago, realizing how exhausted (and stressed) she was, I decided to sit up with him beginning at 2:00 a.m. Throughout the night I made various attempts to get him back to sleep and tried multiple "tricks" to make him happy and keep him quiet. Hours later, when the sun rose and the house began to stir, we were still awake, he was happy, I was not.

In the nights to come I have tried to talk my wife into allowing our son to "cry through it", hoping he will learn to put himself back to sleep and hoping that we can achieve a full night of sleep. Needless to say, his mother won't bite on my wonderful idea. She feels that when her son is awake, whether he is in pain, angry, or grumpy, she too needs to be awake and watching over him.

Thinking of Psalm 121, I find great comfort in knowing that God too won't sleep or slumber through our restless nights of pain, anger, or sorrow. The Psalmist continues;

"The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:5-8)

 God never sleeps or slumbers, you can rest on that. God always watches and cares for you, you can be assured of that.

Acts 3:6 : what I have I give you

I was reading from Acts chapter 3, it has a lot of great insights. But this morning, verse 6 caught my attention.

"Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Words spoken to a crippled beggar who was sitting at the temple gate  asking from money. This statement by Peter was followed by a miraculous healing. This statement verbalizes the true Spirit of Christ - give to those in need.

This does not mean that we, as Christians, are to always give to a person exactly what they are asking for, but rather that we should give out of the abundance, out of the gifts, that God has given to us. Read through chapter 3 of Acts and you will notice that this man was begging for money, Peter did not give him money, but rather, he gave him out of the abundance of what God had given to him; the gift of teaching, healing, and leading.

This crippled beggar at the gate was asking for money. This man was poor and helpless due to his disability. Notice the steps that Peter takes here:

1. Peter looked straight at him.
2. Peter spoke to the man and called for his attention.
3. Peter saw through his felt need (money) to the heart of his problem (his crippling disability).
4. Peter spoke healing into his life and into his body.
5. Peter helped him up and walked with him.
6. Peter stood beside the man and defended him.

This is exactly what we are called to do; take notice of those around us, call for their attention, see through their felt need to the heart of the matter, speak healing into their life through the gifts God has given to us, and walk with others, standing beside them and defending them in difficult times.