I’ve heard the expression, “Can’t see the forest for the trees” countless times in my life.  People use the statement to describe how blind we can be to things that are right in front of us.  It tells us that sometimes the things we are most intently searching for are right there, hidden in plain sight.

This is especially true with the blessings we receive from God.  He gives us health, family, church, relationships, and children.  These are each phenomenal blessings in themselves, even if removed from the others.  When our eyes are opened and we see the good things in our lives, we are amazed by the goodness of God.

But Satan wants us to be blinded to the good and only see the negatives of life.  The sad reality that plagues all humanity is that people sometimes have blessings available to them that they never enjoy.  We often live in misery when happiness and contentment are well within our reach.  Therefore, it is imperative that we stay close to God in the worst and most painful moments of life.  His promises and our fervent prayers are the only remedy we have for Satan’s lies.  Without them, we will be blinded to the good things we have been given, and soon be overwhelmed with the bad.

Kerry

The New Testament uses the term “Shepherd” in reference to the role of an Elder. Likewise, members of the Church are “Sheep” and threats from the Devil and the world are “Wolves.” Where do Preacher fit into this paradigm? Wouldn’t they best be described as “Sheepdogs?”

This podcast will examine the roles of Shepherd and Preacher as they work TOGETHER to lead the Body of Christ.

“Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: ‘Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?’” (2 Samuel 7:18,  NIV). 

In our moments of honest reflection, we all realize that we are completely undeserving of the good things in our lives.  Our children, or mates, our jobs, and our churches are all gifts from God that we have done nothing to deserve. 

Do you ever sit back and just “count your blessings?”  Whenever I do so, the song always proves true; I always am “…amazed at what He’s done.”  Through every heartache and every temptation, He has continued to bless my life and see me through.  I make mistakes and stumble, but He picks me up and continues to guide me.  O’ how good God is!

This type of reflection can be very humbling.  Just like David, when we look around and are amazed at all God has done for us, we question, “Who am I, that God would love me so?”  The answer is simple yet profound.  Although we are frail and undeserving, God continues to bless us for the same reason we continue to help our own children: because we are HIS!  It has never been about WHO we are, but rather WHOSE we are.

Kerry

Until recently, when the transition from active parents to empty-nesters ensued, our life was typical for a middle-aged American Christians with children.  My wife and I worked two jobs, went to church every service, attended at least ten practices or sporting events for our children every week, cooked when we could (McDonalds when we couldn’t), and tried to carve out special time together.  There was hardly a spare moment.  It was all very overwhelming.

Through it all we desired to draw close to God, but the business of life sometimes got in the way.  The hectic pace of daily existence combined with all of the pressures of jobs, bills, and kids can almost make a person feel like their brain is scrambled.  We become frustrated, fearful, and sometimes just want to throw up our hands.  How is a person to keep a spiritual balance with all the craziness?  How do we find the peace Jesus promises in the constant hustle of life?

In truth, the problem isn’t that we are too busy.  The problem is that we haven’t prioritized the MOST important things.  When life gets more frantic do we pray more or less?  Do we read the Word?  I’m afraid that often these are the first items in our icalendar to be ignored.  Perhaps the key to handling more is directly related to how much more we choose to share our life with God?  Frankly, we are too busy NOT to pray and study!

As you navigate the hectic days of this holiday season, please take time to include God in the frenzy.

Kerry

How often do our thoughts center on the Lord?  Many times I become so caught up in the pressures of the day that it will be afternoon before I stop and really reflect on the goodness of God and the kind of day He would have me lead.  Appointments and deadlines consume our minds and push the weightier things aside.

In reading about great men of faith, one common thread was present in most of their lives: they began their day in prayer.  What could better set the day’s tone than starting off in conversation with God?  In this way one tells the Lord that the upcoming day is committed to Him, and serves a reminder throughout the hours that the Lord is with us through every challenge we face.

Is it any wonder then that we are commanded to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17)?  Our daily routine is to be completely centered on the things of God from the moment of waking until we place our head on the pillow again at night.  This does not just describe a person who prays, but rather a person who lives his life immersed in prayer.

Kerry

Do you ever wonder why God puts up with us?  Through the years people have made a habit of disappointing Him.  In truth, failure is our great art.  It is truly the only thing in which we excel.  It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the unfaithful Israelites and their thousand-year flirtation with idolatry, or our own individual struggles with sin.  Our species is constantly breaking God’s heart.

So why does He endure our disloyalty?  Because He loves us?  There can be no doubt.  But what else?  Deuteronomy 10 seems to indicate a different answer.  Not only does He love us, but He yearns for us to love Him in return.  He wants us to reject the world of our own free-will and choose Him!

This changes things somewhat.  Not only does God love me (which could be simply out of a sense of obligation).  He longs for me to love Him!  He wants to hear the words from my lips.  He has pursued me.  I am the object of His desire and my affection is the fondest wish of His divine heart.  All I can say when I begin to absorb that is… WOW.

Kerry

Have you ever observed how opposite God’s instructions to us are from the wisdom of the world?  The world says, “live it up,” God says, “exercise self-control.”  The world says, “take your revenge,” God says, “love your enemies.”  The world says, “be first,” God says, “put others before yourself.”  There are so many more examples we could share.  Christian living is almost always exactly the antithesis of what the world values.

This is particularly evident when we look at how God tells us to live for others and not ourselves.  Selfishness is so easy.  Self-preservation and gratification seems to be hard-wired into our human makeup.  In fact, self-centered thinking is powerful and controlling, and we are often blinded to the fact that we are mastered by it.  Isn’t selfishness really the root of all sin and ugliness?  It is why people hurt others, take what isn’t theirs, and neglect those who need them.  Selfishness is the virus of our humanity that brings about the awful illness of sin!

How do we defeat selfishness when it lurks in every shadow of our souls?  We resist it every day!  We fight it with kindness and service.  When we feel consumed with self-pity, we must turn our emotions outward rather than inward.  In other words, it must be INTENTIONAL.  Jesus said we had to decide to put other first and place ourselves last.  When can we start?  Right now?  How often will we need to renew our commitment to this decision?  Every day of the rest of our lives!

Kerry