God is Bigger Than the Boogie Man

AH, LORD GOD! IT IS YOU WHO HAS MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH BY YOUR GREAT POWER AND BY YOUR OUTSTRETCHED ARM! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR YOU.

Jeremiah 32:17At the very time when the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, and when the sword, famine, and pestilence had desolated the land, Jeremiah was commanded by God to purchase a field and have the deed of transfer legally sealed and witnessed. This was a strange purchase for a rational man to make. Caution could not justify it, for it was buying with hardly a probability that the purchaser would ever enjoy the possession. But it was enough for Jeremiah that his God had instructed him, for he knew with certainty that God will be justified of all His children. He reasoned thus: "Lord God, You can make this plot of ground useful to me; You can rid this land of these oppressors; You can make me sit under my vine and my fig-tree in the heritage that I have bought; for You made the heavens and the earth, and there is nothing too hard for You." There was a majesty in the early saints, who dared to do at God's command things that human reason would condemn. Whether it be a Noah who is to build a ship on dry land, an Abraham who is to offer up his only son, a Moses who is to despise the treasures of Egypt, or a Joshua who is to besiege Jericho for seven days, using no weapons but the blasts of trumpets, they all act upon God's command, contrary to the dictates of human reason; and the Lord gives them a rich reward as the result of their obedient faith. Would to God we had in contemporary Christianity a more potent infusion of this heroic faith in God. If we would venture more upon the naked promise of God, we would enter a world of wonders to which as yet we are strangers. May Jeremiah's place of confidence become ours--nothing is too hard for the God that created the heavens and the earth.

Rattlesnake Gulch

Recent hike with Jeff Kautz. We went up Rattlesnake Gulch, 'moderately difficult' rated climb. It has stunning views of Eldorado Springs to the east and the Continental Divide to the west at the top. There is a hotel ruins there (Craggs Hotel) which burned to the ground in 1914. The original fireplace still stands today. I am pictured here on a cliff near the top of the hike.

Chillin' and Chilled

Our two little fishies enjoying a fun day at swim lessons last week. They spent two weeks on lessons and enjoyed it very much.

Thoughts

Jesus Predicts His Death

Mark 8...31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Word for Today

Psalm 25:4-5

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Fitting prayer, you know. Lots of supplicatory requests, but really good ones. Show me, teach me, guide me...when these requests are made with proper motivation, God gladly will provide an answer. His ways are not ours, so we must train our thoughts to ask God to show us his ways. His path is definitely not always ours, so we must train our thoughts to ask God to show us his paths. And why should we ask God for these things? Simply because he is our God, our Savior. How great is our God that he offers forgiveness of sin and then allows us to fellowship with him. I think these requests are the beginning of sweet fellowship with him. A willingness to surrender and ask to be in the center of his will. Really a first step to worship.

I hope you find yourself spending time to ask God of these things. The day is transformed when we ask God to show us his ways, teach us his paths. The course of our day may be altered for eternity through these requests. Take time today to pray this scripture to God...and watch God move your heart toward him.

Air Show Day

Today we took in the air show at Jeffco Airport. We saw F-16's, F-18's, WWII fighter planes, Black Hawks, Bomber planes, paratroopers, you name it. The kids really enjoyed it, and mom and dad liked the fact that it took place a couple of miles from the house. And, of course, the backdrop for the show is quite enjoyable, as you can see.

We are also happy to report the entire launch team for Emmaus Road is now moved out to CO. We begin our gatherings this Friday, and have already added a couple of people to the first one.

Humbled

Ephesians 3:17-19

17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Just how high can Jesus love extend to the heavens? How wide can it span the earth? How long will his love endure? How deep can his love impact our hearts? I suppose these questions can be answered to some degree, but to fully understand it is quite another challenge. I'm having a week where I sense my flesh is trying to win the battle...anger, frustration, even a little depressive thoughts. But God's love, through Jesus, overwhelmes me...It controls me...it consumes me. I had a moment on Monday where I wanted to simply explode. My sinfulness about had me. But God, in his awesome grace, touched me. He reminded me that I am, indeed, a man impacted by the flesh; however, he graces me with humility, patience, peace, understanding. He graces me with his presence. Is God not perfect? Of course he is! Is he not loving? Indeed, he is very loving. Does not his love endure forever? It most certainly does...even in the moments where I have little love to offer him. And even when I have little to offer? He fills me with the measure of all his fullness. I am unworthy and God is good!

Devotional

Some devotional thoughts from Truth For Life...

June 5, 2006
ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD. 1 John 4:8The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in Christ's love for him and in the offering of his love to Christ. First, faith sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle, "Christ loved me and gave himself for me."1 Then love gives the countersign and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return. "We love because he first loved us."2 In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly seen in all believers in Jesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ and rested upon it as a man leans upon a staff whose trustiness he has proved. The love that they felt toward the Lord was not a quiet emotion that they hid within themselves in the secret place of their souls and that they only spoke about in private or when they met on the first day of the week and sang hymns in honor of Christ Jesus the crucified; it was a passion with them of such a vehement and all-consuming energy that it was visible in all their actions, evident in their conversation, and seen in their eyes, even in their casual glances. Love for Jesus was a flame that fed upon the core and heart of their being and therefore by its own force burned its way into their demeanor and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ's love they dared much, and because of their love for Christ they did much, and it is the same now. The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love. The love of Christ constrains them; they rejoice that divine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to them, and then by force of gratitude they love the Savior with a pure and fervent heart. My reader, do you love Him? Before you sleep, give an honest answer to this weighty question! 1 Galatians 2:20 2 1 John 4:19

Weekend Update

The weekend we have been awaiting has arrived, as almost the entire launch team is now in CO. Only one family left to go and we will all be in Boulder County. This weekend Jan, the kids and I all traveled back to NE for Kris's (Jan's brother) wedding. He tied the knot with Jenni Halstead, a great gal with a big heart for God, and we are thrilled to see Kris get married. The turnout was big, the party was fun and all made it safely. It was great to see family, friends and old acquaintances. We will do it all again in one month, as Nikki (Jan's little sister) is getting married, as well.

Summer is here to stay with warm temps around 90 and lots of sunshine. Swim lessons begin next week for Jonatha and Aidan. I don't golf anymore, so I better find a summer hobby. Jan is keeping quite busy with the kids and work is keeping me occupied most of the week.

God is awesome, isn't he? I was reading in Colossians this weekend and reminded once again on how to be praying. This really seems to be a constant lesson for me as of late. I am most challenged by God's calling to me to step it up in prayer all the more, as I seek to know him more deeply. What blessings come when we stay focused on growing in our knowledge of Christ!