It All Adds Up

I found myself singing another great hymn that I grew up on this morning.  It is funny how the old songs that I once mocked and made fun of when I was younger are the songs that I find myself going back to now that I am older.  There are some great truths in these old songs.

As I have made reference to in a couple of past posts, I am currently unemployed and searching for something to help support the finances of the household.  It can be very stressful some days.  I know that I am not alone in the trials of daily life.  Some of the people reading this are facing financial struggles.  Others may be fighting chronic pain or health issues.  Some people today are even grieving the loss of a loved one or possibly have deep concerns for a prodigal that is not living a life honouring God.

Whatever you are facing, I find that it helps to take a moment and reflect on what God has brought you through.  I think of times like when God had someone hand me money when times were tight.  I think of moments when someone dropped me a note to encourage me not fully knowing that I was disheartened in that point of my journey.  I remember moments when God caused third degree burns to have no effects on my skin.  I thank God for a time when I was so angry at Him that I told Him to get lost and leave me alone than climb the stairs far enough to hear my father, in his daily devotions, praying for me and asking God to keep me close to Him.  I turned around, and back in my room, repented for my foolishness.  I could go on and on, but I'm sure by now you understand what I am trying to say.

So as I think about all God has done for me, that brings me back to my hymn that I am singing this morning.  It goes like this:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. 

REFRAIN:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your Man blessings, see what God hath done. 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by. 

When you look at others with their lands of gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings money cannot buy,

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. 

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. 

Count Your Blessings

Johnson Oatman, Jr., pub 1897

No matter what you are facing today, remember that God loves you and that He is with you in every area of your life.  Remind yourself of things that God has done for you in the past and remember that He is always with you even when you're feeling alone.  Count your blessings ... you'll be surprised how quickly it all adds up.

 

Gifts of Giving

There are only 74 more days until Christmas.  Now ... before you stop reading and flog me for talking about Christmas, snow and the cold when most of you are still desiring to slip on your shorts and bathing suits and hit the beach, you must understand that I LOVE Christmas.  It is one of my all time favourite seasons that I look forward to each and every year.  It makes me very happy!

This morning as I was reading my bible I came across a passage that invoked the Christmas spirit in me.  I was reading in the book of Hebrews and one verse jumped off the page at me.  Some of you may now think I have officially lost it because you're trying to figure out how the book of Hebrews reminded me of Christmas, but let me show you.

For me, the spirit of Christmas is in the power of the exchange.  There is something magical that happens when someone gives a gift and when someone receives a gift.  This is often best witnessed when you watch a child receiving a gift with wide-eyed wonderment.  The physical passing of the gift from your hand to theirs is captured in the joy and excitement on their face and in their body language.  Their eyes are ablaze with anxiousness of what is inside the gift and just the very fact that there is a gift with their name on it brings smiles to their faces.  But have you ever stopped and wondered about the expression on the face of the one giving the gift?  Often times we focus on the child or person receiving the gift, but the delight that is on the person giving the gift is also something truly magical to behold.  The ability to bring that joy to that child or the receiver of the gift ultimately comes from the person giving the gift.

This brings me back to the verse that sparked my ramblings today.  The author in chapter 7 of Hebrews is making reference to Melchizedek's and Abraham's interaction with each other after Abraham had returned from battle with his spoils.  Melchizedek blesses Abraham and Abraham gives a tenth of all he had captured in battle to Melchizedek.  But what caught my attention the most was this verse: "And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed"(Hebrews 7:7).  The more significant person in the exchange is the person who can bless.  Being a giver is a good thing.  It gives God the opportunity to fill you up with more so that you have more to give away.  Luke explains it this way:

"Give, and you will receive.  Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over and poured into your lap.  The amount you give will determine the amount you give back"(Luke 6:38).

If you want to see God move in your life, start using the blessing He has already given you in other's lives.  I love the phrase my dad continues to use to this day, "you cannot out give God".  God has gifted us to give.  He has given to us, not so that we hoard for ourselves, but that we give it away.

Let's go back to Christmas (YEAH!) for a minute.  We can give gifts to those that we love, care and appreciate this year, but are we making an effort to be a blessing to people?  Are we acting out our faith out of a desire to fulfill an obligation or are we blessing those people with the intention of bringing glory to God?  Instead of just giving a toy to a child, take time out of your busy schedule to invest in that child's life.  Instead of giving an expensive gift to someone, make an effort to invest in their needs.  If they are struggling with some physical ailment, offer to help out around their house.  Shovel their driveway (yeah snow) or offer to run some errands for them.  If they are suffering financially, bless them with a gift card for groceries and daily needs.  If they are struggling emotionally from a loss of a loved one, spend time with them and encourage them.  But however you bless someone in the coming months, take time to reflect after the fact about how it feels to be a blessing to someone and then go and do it again.

Luke 20:35 wraps it up best (pun implied) "It is more blessed to give than to receive".  Let's be in the habit of giving to others.  Let's be in the routine of seeing a need and filling a need.  God will never leave you with less than enough.

One last thought: This season, the best gift that could be given to someone is the gift of eternal life.  You just don't know how God might use your act of intentionally blessing to help lead someone into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  There truly is no greater joy than that.

A Forgotten Principle

I was reminded of something last night that I am ashamed to say that I had forgotten in the midst of the uncertainty of unemployment.  I was out with my friend for a coffee/bible study at one of my favourite establishments (Starbucks) and as we were discussing our life issues and the vastness of our God, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Do you ever find yourself in stressful situations where you're not sure how the next bill is going to get paid?  Do you ever ask yourself will I get over this sickness?  Are there times when you wonder if someone you care about is ever going to find right relationship with Jesus Christ?  Have you ever wondered if your life partner is ever going to find you where you are?  In those times of uncertainty, do you ever just feel like giving up, throwing in the towel and walking away in utter despair?  I've been down that path myself a few times and I've often wondered why do I continue to bother keep pressing forward?

Things have been a little stressful as of late with not knowing what God has in store for me.  Being newly married, I am admittedly quite concerned about how I am going to help contribute to my family income and help provide for our future.  I have faith that God can provide finances when I need them most, but I still like to know where the next cheque will come from.  I'm like a lot of people in that I like seeing the big picture of how things all work out in the end.

Probably one of the most famous of David's Psalms is Psalm 23.  As a child, I memorized for it for a group that I was a part of, called Crusaders.  It goes like this: 

The LORD is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

through the darkest valley,

23:4 Or the dark valley of death.

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the LORD.

There is something about this Psalm, that no matter what you are facing, it just brings peace to an unrestful situation.  It causes you to stop and acknowledge that God is with you even "through the darkest valley"(Ps 23:4).  You recognize just how good God is.

This brings me back to my conversation last night.  The concept that put me back in my seat was being thankful.  Paul in his closing remarks of his first letter to the Thessalonians states, "Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus"(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  Notice that it doesn't say, "in good times" or "when things are going your way" but it does say "Always"(5:16), "Never stop"(5:17) and "in all circumstances".

Am I always thankful?  When I am desperately needing a job, am I thankful?  When I am sick, am I thankful?  If I remind myself of what God has given me, then I have lots to be thankful for.  David says it best in Psalm sixteen verse two, "I said to the LORD, 'You are my Master!  Every good thing I have comes from you'".

God is so good to us.  Let's give him the gratitude that He deserves today regardless of the situation that you face.  Choose joy.  Keep praying.  Give Him thanks and watch what He does in your life.  He is faithful!

Persistence of a Puppy

It amazes me lately how much God is saying to me during my breakfast time. Today was much like every other morning and I had just sat down for a good breakfast with a hot cup of coffee when all of a sudden, peeking around the corner of the couch is a little snout and two black eyes. I've been known to give a 'treat' before and once you open Pandora's box, there comes a certain expectation of it becoming a regular habit.

As many of you already know, I find myself in the unemployment line seeking a job. It is a position that I do not desire to be in, but I am trusting God to lead me in the direction that He wants me to go. However, not that long ago, my wife and I were praying for some people and situations and after I had said 'amen', she quickly added that I would find employment in the right place at the right time. It got me thinking.

In the book of Psalms, David states, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly" (Psalm 5:3 NLT). David never came to God once a month. He never even came to God once a week. He came each and every day with his requests before Almighty God. But the second part of this verse is the clincher for me. David waited with expectation. He didn't wait thinking that God wasn't going to provide. He didn't wait thinking God couldn't heal him. He didn't even wait thinking that God wasn't going to answer him. He waited with expectation that Jehovah was going to come through and meet his requests.

Let's go back to my breakfast and the peeking puppy. She didn't peek around the corner thinking she was going to get nothing. She didn't even peek around the corner because she thought nothing was there. That cute adorable puppy came around the corner of the chair, like she does every morning, in the hopes that she would get a little treat. She came with expectation and persistence.

I'm learning every day that I need to bring my current employment issue along with my other requests to God and wait expectantly. But it is through my persistence of daily coming and expecting that shows that my hope is in God and not my own ability to create resolve to my situation. At the right time, God will provide all that I need.

This morning, no matter how many times you have come to Father God before, come to Him with expectation and persistence. If you're believing for healing, come expecting for God to heal you. If you're coming for provision, come expecting for God to provide for you. If you're coming for restoration, come believing that God is going to restore the brokenness in your life. If your coming on behalf of a loved, come believing that God is going to reach out to them. But don't stop there. Tomorrow, come again with the same expectation. The next day, come with the same expectation. Keep coming back to our Heavenly Father day after day with the same expectation and watch what He does as you seek Him.

Oh ... and to answer your question … yes … the puppy got her treat.

Breakfast. Ahhh ... Memories

It is a beautiful September morning and I find myself at the breakfast table.  As I partake of my hard-boiled eggs, raisin bread toast, green grapes and coffee (you cannot forget the coffee) I find my mind reminiscing about moments passed with great friends over the breakfast table.

Back when I was going to Bible school, a group of friends that were formed by a desire to follow God found themselves sleeping in and gaining weight but we were determined to stop the downward spiral and change our habits.  Jamie, Carl, Sean and myself started getting up each morning and headed down for a quick workout before showering and heading to the school cafeteria for what was arguably the best meal of the day.  We all seemed to gravitate to the same things and I specifically remember Jamie with his fried eggs (left the yokes for last) and me with my hard-boiled eggs.  When he mixed it up however (quite literally) I will never forget the amount of butter he would put on hard-boiled eggs to create almost an egg salad with just eggs, butter, salt and pepper.  However, it was so much more than the way that Jamie ate his eggs.  The conversations we had and the dreams we shared are still treasured today.  The way we encouraged one another and just listened to what the other person was going through.  Breakfast.  Ahhh ... Memories.

Fast forward to Dave and Michelle's kitchen and coming down for work in the morning to the smell of fresh ground coffee percolating in the coffee maker with the craft which always leaked when pouring my morning cup.  In my humble opinion, there is nothing better than a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, however, it was so much more than a cup of coffee.  On countless occasions Michelle and I would share our victories and our concerns over a cup of coffee as we dreamed of a better day ahead but relishing in a God that had brought us through so much.  Breakfast.  Ahhh ... Memories.

As I watch the sun rise over the trees this morning, I remember great breakfast moments with people that I care about.  But in those thoughts, I was challenged with this: Why not say a quick prayer for those people today?  I do pray for family and friends, but often I find that when I am getting ready in the morning and especially when I am enjoying breakfast, my thoughts are mostly on me and what is my plan of action for the day.  But now I have a choice: Do I accept this challenge or do I ignore it and just keep my daily routine.  I would love to say that this is an easy choice, but it is one thing to say that I accept the challenge, but it is another thing to actually do it.  I hope I'm up for the challenge.  Breakfast.  Ahhh ... Memories.

Big Problems, Bigger God.

I haven't posted anything on here for a while, but that doesn't mean that things haven't been running through my mind.  It has been quite a journey over the past year.  I switched jobs, got married to an amazing women (those that know her would agree that I married up) and now I find myself in the unemployment line learning to trust God one more time.  I'll come back to that in a minute.

There are times in our lives that we 'struggle' or 'fight' to understand what is happening.  We might be waiting for our soulmate, disappointed about being overlooked for a promotion at work, fighting an illness in our bodies or wondering about a loved one that is not living the life that we would desire for them.  In those moments of 'struggle', it is where our faith is shaped and strengthened and it is when God takes us to a new level of learning to lean on him and not on our own understanding.

In the book of Judges, a man by the name of Gideon was preparing for a battle against the Midianites which God had instructed him to "go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"(Judges 6:14).  For seven years, Israel had been subject to the cruelty of the Midianites and were living in fear for their lives.  Israel felt as if their future was very bleak and they were feeling abandoned by God.  They were wondering where "all the miracles our ancestors told us about?  Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'?"(Judges 6:13).  They were facing 'struggle' and trying to understand what was happening to them.  But God WAS with them and watching over them.  He had a plan to glorify Himself through their situation and Gideon who made it clear of his limitations when he pointed out to God, "how can I rescue Israel?  My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!"

Because God is in the middle of your situation, it doesn't matter how weak, poor, sick or beat down you may be, He has a desire to glorify Himself in your life because you belong to Him.  He doesn't care how big the fight is in front of you, but God's desire is to show how big He is despite your situation.  In the historical account of Gideon, God said to him, "I will be with you.  And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."(Judges 6:16).  In chapter 7, God showed up and with only 300 men, Gideon defeated the Midianites who "had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts"(Judges 7:12).  God was bigger than their problem.  God gave Gideon and his men the victory over what seemed, insurmountable odds.

No matter what you're facing today, don't look to the size of your problem, look to your BIG God and remember that He is bigger than any 'struggle' or 'fight' that you may face.  Look to Him to show you the way past it.  Let His Word find root in your heart and may the truth that God loves you very much.  Remember that, "[He] will be with you."(Judges 6:16) and that He will bring you through whatever you are going through.  He will provide the right person at the right time (as I recently can give thanks for ... WOO HOO!!!), the right promotion or position, the much needed healing and direction for that wayward loved one.  God will show up!  Just have faith and believe.

So what's the deal with me ... well ... I've recently lost my job after only a couple weeks of marriage.  It is never a desirable situation but I know that the GOD who is faithful is with me and has a plan for my life.  As I, "trust in the LORD with all [my] heart; do not depend on [my] own understanding"(Proverbs 3:5), I know that He is going to open doors of opportunity and increase my faith.  It doesn't mean that it is an easy road, but I step back and allow God to glorify himself in me.  I'm just learning to lean.

Never Lose the Passion,
Dean

What Are You Giving?

<sup>It has been quite a while since I have had the urge to write anything.  To be quite honest, I am surprised that I am feeling compelled to write currently.  I have been up since 2:30am this morning and working all day at the St. Lawrence  Market in downtown Toronto selling vegetables.  It is now 8pm at night and I should be (like the dog beside me ... love you Murphy) passed out.  Still, I feel led to share something that just sunk in.


I was thinking about this Christmas season that is fast approaching.  I know that I am a Christmasaholic, but something has really struck me.  This is the time of year when we really start putting our thinking caps on about the gifts that we are going to buy for people.  I know that some people wait until December 24th for this thoughtful act, but others of us, prepare long in advance for just the right gift for that special person.


In Ephesians 3, Paul is writing to the non-Jewish community about a special gift that God had prepared long in advance for us.  He tells about in verse 16 how he prays to God asking him "to give [us] a gift from the wealth of his glory."(GWT).  He continues to pray that God "would give [us] inner strength and power through His Spirit.  Then Christ will live in [us] through faith".  What a powerful statement.  That God would give us His wealth ... not a financial gift but something far more valuable.  A gift so powerful that it raised Christ from the dead and it is within us. (Romans 8:11)  How awesome is that!  It is the power to move where in our own human ability we cannot.

However, Paul doesn't stop there.  He continues,</sup>

 ^{"I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation.  This way, with all of God's people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high and deep his love is.  You will know Christ's love, which goes far beyond any knowledge.  I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God." Ephesians 3:17-19}

 <sup>I think so often we miss this concept of love.  In 1 John 4:7-21, it expands on the meaning of how we are to be rooted in love.  It is a connection with God that is a commandment and not an option.  In Luke 10:25-37 we are shown exactly how much of this we are to have not only for God, but also for one another.  It truly is the greatest commandment.  But we are not to do it alone.  We are not to be a bunch of one person armies going around loving God and one another.  We are to be THE CHURCH!  That means that we need to LOVE our God!  We are to love our church members!  We are to love our coworkers!  We are to love our neighbours!  We are to love our enemies!  When we do this collectively, God reveals the width, length, height and depth of His love for us.  Everyone needs to do their part.


Do we really get it?  DO I REALLY GET IT?


Back to my favourite season ... This Christmas ... am I going to allow the "wealth of God" to empower me to love all those around me and share my ultimate gift from God?  I hope I get it.  I really hope I give it.


Never Lose the Passion,
Dean</sup>