Call Home

Years ago, our youngest daughter had a sleepover.  When it came time for bed her guest wanted, more than anything, to go home! I can’t blame her.  When I travel, the hardest part of the trip is going to sleep.  When it comes to resting, there’s no house like your own.

It’s what David asked. He longed to live in the house of God. He asked for his own room—permanently. He longed to retire there in a life-long residence. When David says in Psalm 23:  “I will live in the house of the Lord forever,” he’s saying simply that he never wants to step away from God.

Make it your aim never to leave God’s house. And when you find yourself in another house, do what my daughter’s friend did—call home! He won’t mind—in fact, He’ll be waiting.

from: The Great House of God

A Trio of Peaks

You can’t run the world, nor are you expected to be all-powerful. You may think you can. But when you face your own grave or your own guilt,  your power will not do the trick.

The Bible says “Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.” (Matthew 6:13).

A trio of peaks. Admire them, applaud them, but don’t climb them. You weren’t made to run a kingdom, or to be all-powerful. And you certainly can’t handle all the glory. Mount Applause is the most seductive of the three peaks. More than one person has stood at the top and shouted, “Mine is the glory!”—only to lose their balance and fall.

As you confess that God is in charge, you admit you aren’t. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit you don’t. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain!

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 28-April-2013 - Elder Dr John Lee

Speaker: Elder Dr John Lee
Full Gospel Assembly Batu Pahat

http://www.mediafire.com/?6vbtpdrjf3mxlrk

Practically Speaking

Words of Affirmation
"I write the words "I love you" or "I'm thinking of you" or even "Baby, you're the greatest" into a banana and pack it in his lunch box. You can write with anything sharp into the peel and it will show up clearly in just a few minutes."  ~Anonymous

Acts of Service
"My husband works a swing shift, and as a result he is always tired. When he is coming home from work after working 3-11pm, I sometimes surprise him by having the garbage can brought out to the road (typically his job) and having a snack plate and beverages ready for both of us to sit down together and have some quality time and snuggling. His big smile is a wonderful reward for me and fills my love tank too!" ~Jennifer

Receiving Gifts
Do they have a favorite author? If so, pick up a title from their favorite author at a local book store. If you can find a classic, autographed, or authentic vintage edition at a used bookstore or yard sale . . . even better!

Quality Time
"I like to make eye contact and give my undivided attention as I am speaking or as they are speaking to me." ~Anonymous

Physical Touch
"I frequently sit on the couch with my husband and rub his feet and legs. Or other massages as needed are much appreciated. Doing this without being asked is wonderful! Just being willing to serve is best. It covers so many of the love languages too." ~Paula

God Calls the Shots

Every time Satan sets out to score for evil, he ends up scoring a point for good.  Consider Paul.  Satan hoped prison would silence his pulpit, and it did, but it also unleashed his pen.  The letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians were all written in a jail cell.

Satan is the Colonel Klink of the Bible.  Remember Klink? He was the fall guy for Hogan on the television series, Hogan’s Heroes. Klink supposedly ran a German POW camp during World War 2. Those inside the camp, however, knew better. They knew who really ran the camp:  the prisoners. They listened to Klink’s calls and read his mail. They even gave Klink ideas, all the while using him for their own cause.

Over and over the Bible makes it clear who really runs the earth. Satan may strut and prance, but it is God who calls the shots.

from: The Great House of God

Give Him a Pretzel

Years ago I was traveling with my daughter, Jenna.  When I realized she and I weren’t seated together,  I asked the fellow sitting next to her to swap seats with me.  Surely he’ll understand, I thought.  He didn’t.  I was left separated from my 12 year old on a long transatlantic flight.

I began plotting how I’d trip him if he dared walk to the restroom during the flight. I turned to intimidate him with a snarl and saw, much to my surprise, Jenna offering him a pretzel. What?  My daughter was fraternizing with the enemy! As if the pretzel were an olive branch, he accepted her gift and they both leaned their seats back and dozed off.

I learned the lesson God had used my daughter to teach me. All of us are here by grace and, at some point, all of us have to share some grace. So the next time you find yourself next to a questionable character, don’t give him a hard time—give him a pretzel!

from: The Great House of God

We Are All Beggars

We are all beggars in need of bread. “Give us this day our daily bread,” we pray. (Matthew 6:11). You may prefer, “We are all hungry, in need of bread.”  Such a phrase certainly has more dignity than the word beggar.  Who wants to be called a beggar?  After all, didn’t you create the ground in which the seed was sown? No? Well at least you made the seed? Right? You didn’t?

What about the sun?  Did you provide the heat during the day?  Or the rain.  Did you send the clouds?  No?   Then exactly what did you do?

You harvested food you didn’t make from an earth you didn’t create. Let me see if I have this straight. Had God not done His part, you would have no food. Hmmm. . .perhaps we best return to the word beggar. We are all beggars, in need of bread!

from: The Great House of God

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

Idol of Happiness – Part 2

Last time we began looking at the Idol of Happiness in Part 1.  I discussed how often people won’t do the right things in life simply because those things don’t make them happy. It’s common in our culture for believers to mistakenly believe the notion that “God doesn’t want me to be unhappy.” This is especially true in marriage. For many Christians, marriage has some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card attached to it.  They seem to think the radical, difficult parts of Christianity (to love, to serve, to forgive, or to sacrifice, pertain only to those outside of one’s marriage.  Loving, suffering, turning the other cheek, forgiving are all wonderful Christian concepts, but one shouldn’t have to do that in our own marriage.  That would be way too much work.

“But stay in an unhappy marriage!?” you protest. I’ve had people try to reason and argue with me about why they were bailing on their wives or husbands and justify it one way or the other based on the presupposition that God would not want them to suffer. “Come on,” they’ve said to me incredulously.  “Are you actually saying God would ask someone to stick in a marriage that makes them unhappy?’

I grant you that the idea of staying in an unhappy marriage is a completely foreign concept to most folks, and it’s one that is not readily received. (You may as well be speaking Swahili to non-Swahilis.)  But have you ever considered that the reason the Scriptures call us to live by faith is to empower us to do what’s right even when it’s hard to do—whether or not we suffer while doing it?  What if faith was designed by God to give us the courage to choose what’s right though it makes us unhappy, though it means losing everything we have, though it means laying down our very lives? Whoa, this sounds so—Jesus-like.

Abba

When my daughter Jenna was twelve, I took her to Jerusalem.  As we were exiting the Jaffa gate, an orthodox Jewish family was in front of us—a father and his three small girls.  One of the daughters fell a few steps behind and couldn’t see her father.  “Abba!” she called to him.  “Abba!” she called again.  He spotted her and immediately extended his hand.  As they continued, I wanted to see the actions of an abba.  He held her hand tightly in his.  When he stopped at a busy street, she stepped off the curb, so he pulled her back.  When the signal changed, he carried her and led her sisters through the intersection.

Isn’t that what we all need?  An abba who’ll hear when we call?  An abba who’ll swing us up into his arms and carry us home?  Don’t we all need an Abba Father?

from: The Great House of God

Chocolate Ice Cream or Okra?

Jesus said:  “The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” (Luke 6:38).

It’s as if God sends you to purchase your neighbor’s groceries.  “Whatever you get your neighbor, get also for yourself.”  I’m crazy about double-chocolate ice cream, so I buy my neighbor double-chocolate ice cream.  But suppose your neighbor’s trash blows into your yard.  He’s in no rush—says he’ll get to it next week.

You’re just about to have a talk when God reminds you, “Time to go to the market and buy your neighbor’s groceries.” You march right past the double-chocolate ice cream toward the okra and rice. You drive back and drop the sack in the lap of your lazy, good-for-nothing neighbor. “Have a good dinner.”

The next time you go to your pantry, guess what you find? What will you be eating?  Chocolate ice cream or okra?  It’s up to you.

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 21-April-2013 - Pr. Les Lee

Speaker: Pastor Les Lee
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?wgxkfebjhsd7d7d

Resentment

Resentment is a prison.  When you’ve put someone in your jail cell of hatred, you are stuck guarding the door.  If you’re out to settle a score, you are never going to rest.  How can you?  For one thing, your enemy may never pay up.

As much as you think you deserve an apology, your debtor may not agree.  The racist may never repent.  The chauvinist may never change. As justified as you are in your quest for vengeance, you may never get a penny’s worth of justice.  And if you do, will it be enough?

You see, resentment is a prison.  Jesus doesn’t question the reality of your wounds.  He just doubts whether resentment is going to heal you.  What are you going to do?  Spend your life guarding the prison jail cell?  Or entrust your wounds to Jesus?

from: The Great House of God

Practically Speaking

Words Of Affirmation
"When I have to spend a night away from my family, I write a note to each of them and put it under their doona (blanket) so they only find it when they hop into bed for the night. The note tells them how much I love them and look forward to seeing them again soon."  ~Gwen

Acts Of Service
"I will make my husband his evening coffee and take it to him, even if I'm steaming mad at him. I want him to know I love him, mad or not." ~Aubrie

Receiving Gifts
Get a bag of mixed individually wrapped candies/chocolate and hide them all around the house. Count the pieces as you go. Then when the person you love notices the first one, tell them there are X number more hidden around the house. Their love tank will start to fill with each piece they find. *Note: Make sure it is a candy they enjoy.

Quality Time
"I occasionally do an at home social hour. I'll buy or make one of my husband's favorite appetizers and a light dinner to go with it. Then I'll send him an evite to our private social hour. I once listed 'live entertainment provided by Max & Pee Dee' (our 2 bulldogs)." ~Marianne

Physical Touch
"My husband does 75% of the driving when we take road trips to see family. To make him feel loved and appreciated for this, I reach over from my seat on the passenger side and give him neck and shoulder rubs while he is driving. It keeps him from tensing up and lets him know I love him!" ~Nita

Dealing with Debt

Doesn’t someone owe you an apology?  A second chance?  An explanation? A thank you?  A childhood?  A marriage?  Your parents should have been more protective. Your children should have been more appreciative. Your spouse should be more sensitive. What are you going to do?  Few questions are more important.

Dealing with debt is at the heart of your happiness. Jesus speaks of the grace we should share.  He says: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14).

It reminds me of the story of a huge grizzly bear in the center of Yellowstone Park feeding on discarded camp food.  No one dared draw near. Except a skunk who walked toward the food and took his place next to the grizzly.  The bear didn’t object.  He knew the high cost of getting even! We’d be wise to learn the same thing.

from: The Great House of God 

How God Gave Me an African Grandson

My family has just witnessed the miracle of an international adoption.

My daughter Margaret was pregnant for almost three years.

I should explain. She didn’t actually carry a baby in her womb that long. But it was almost three years ago that she and her husband, Rick, took a team of students from Emmanuel College to Ethiopia for an evangelistic outreach. They learned about the plight of the children of that country during their visit and felt God was calling them to adopt an Ethiopian baby.

The dream grew in Margaret and Rick’s heart, and they officially launched the adoption process in January 2011. It was tedious and expensive. The wait seemed endless—sort of like standing in line at the post office for 26 months. Bureaucracy moved at a snail’s pace—and it seemed even slower after they learned they were assigned an infant boy and got a picture of him.

I’ve been more impatient than my daughter and son-in-law during this journey. They held on to their dream, even when the adoption agency faced some serious problems. To keep focused, Margaret ran a marathon to raise awareness of the need for international adoption. She decided that since she didn’t have to go through the pain of childbirth to have this baby, the least she could do was run 26 miles.

Her stamina paid off. Last week Margaret and Rick traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, to do the last interviews and get the final paperwork approved. They arrived there just in time to celebrate their son’s first birthday. And a few days ago, they landed at the Atlanta airport with their African bundle of joy.

It is Finished

Picture if you will, a blank check.   The amount of the check is “sufficient grace.”  The signer of the check is Jesus.  The only blank line is for the payee.  That part is for you!  May I urge you to spend a few moments with your Savior receiving this check?  Reflect on the work of God’s grace. The nails that once held a Savior to the cross.  His sacrifice was for you.  Express your thanks for His grace.  Whether for the first time or the thousandth, let Him hear you whisper, “Forgive us our debts.” And let Him answer your prayer as you imagine writing your name on the check.

No more deposits are necessary.  So complete was the payment that Jesus used a banking term to proclaim your salvation.  “It is finished!”  (John 19:30)  Perhaps I best slip out now and leave the two of you to talk.

from: The Great House of God

In Debt

Debt.  To be in debt is to owe someone something.  If that’s true, isn’t it appropriate for us to speak of debt in our prayer, for aren’t we all in debt to God? Aren’t we in God’s debt when we disobey His commands?  Rather than love our neighbor, we hurt our neighbor. Aren’t we in God’s debt when we disregard Him? He makes the universe and we applaud science.  Maybe if I wave at my neighbor or go to church next Sunday, I’ll get caught up. But how do you know when you’ve made enough? That’s the problem.  You never can.

Romans 4:5 says, “People cannot do any work that will make them right with God.”

You’re going to spend the rest of your days huffing and puffing to get to the drive-through window before the bank closes.  Just try this– trust His grace!  It is God who justifies your account!

from: The Great House of God

Insufficient Funds

Insufficient funds!  What an ominous phrase.  In the great gallery of famous phrases, “insufficient funds” hangs in the same hallway with “the IRS will audit your account.” “A root canal is necessary,” and “Let’s stop dating and just be friends.”

You’re overdrawn! You gave more than you had to give. You spent more than you had to spend. And guess who has to cough up some cash? What do you do if you don’t have any money? What do you do if you have nothing to deposit but an honest apology and good intentions? You pray that some wealthy soul will make a huge deposit in your account.

If you’re talking about your financial debt, that’s not likely to happen. If you’re talking about your spiritual debt, it already has. Your heavenly Father has covered your shortfall. In God’s house you are covered by the roof of His grace!

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 14-April-2013 - Pr Solomon Abraham

Speaker: Pastor Solomon Abraham
Grace Assembly Petaling Jaya

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ohp574w6bs9apb9

Practically Speaking

Words Of Affirmation
Do you have a song that is memorable between you and your spouse? If so, see if there is a music video or streaming link online and send it to him/her via text or email. The lyrics will be a warm reminder of the love you share. (Relationship: Marriage)

Acts Of Service
I got it! Learn to insert these words whenever there is a need you can fill. What does this mean? Well, it plays out like this: When there are groceries to be brought in . . . "I got it." When there are dishes to do . . . "I got it." When someone needs to sweep the floor or wipe up a spilled mess . . . "I got it." When someone has their hands full and needs the door opened . . . "I got it." You get the idea (pun intended)! This type of attitude will not only show that you care, but also courtesy and respect for others. (Relationship: All)

Receiving Gifts
Husbands, try bringing home some flowers for your wife today. If you are on a budget, wildflowers are nice too. It's not what you spend. Rather, it's the fact that you were thinking about her. (Relationship: Husband to Wife)

Quality Time
Dad: Sometimes you need to run an errand or go to the store. If you are able, try to bring at least one of your children with you. This will encourage them and make them feel special. (Relationship: Father to Child)

Physical Touch
When trying to communicate something really important to a spouse, child, or loved one whose primary love language is Physical Touch, reach out and hold their hands as you communicate face to face. Your attention and kind touch will comfort and assure them of your love. (Relationship: Marriage, Family, Love)

Three Cookie Days

Every day, God prepares for us a plate of experiences.  Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not!  Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables, twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash.  Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good?  All are important and all are from God. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.”

The next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it.  Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane His Father handed Him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven.

“My Father,” He prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from Me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mark 14:36).

from: The Great House of God

The Plate Runs Over

Give us this day our daily bread.  What a statement of trust!  Some days the plate runs over.  God keeps bringing out more food and we keep loosening our belt.  A promotion.  A privilege.   A friendship.  A gift.  A lifetime of grace.  An eternity of joy.

The Psalmist said:  “You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.  You revive my drooping head; my cup fills with blessing.”  (Psalm 23:5, The Message).

And then there are those days when, well, we have to eat our broccoli. Our daily bread could be tears or sorrow or discipline. Our portion may include adversity as well as opportunity.  The next time your plate has more broccoli than apple pie, remember who prepared the meal.  Even Jesus was given a portion He found hard to swallow.  But with God’s help, He did.  And with God’s help, you can too.

from: The Great House of God

Idol of Happiness – Part 1

Many Christians have turned happiness into an idol.  I’m not suggesting God is against us being happy.  The Scriptures say, “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.”  So when does happiness become an idol?  It happens when we exalt our concern to be happy above the very concerns of God himself. We live in a culture that says, “Above all else be happy; do what you want to do; satisfy yourself; look out for number one; do your own thing.”  The Bible teaches that the husband should love his wife.  We reason, No problem—as long as it doesn’t interfere with my golf game, my fishing time, or my hunting trip. Because I need that.  After all, God wants me to be happy, right?

The bible teaches that wives should meet the sexual needs of their husbands.  But what if the wife is not happy with her husband?  Shouldn’t she reason, God wouldn’t ask me to do that, would He?  Certainly, God wants me happy.  That’s most important, right?

The point is, we willingly do “good” up to a point.  We honor God, but only up to a point.  We’ll obey Jesus, but only to a certain point.  And what is that point?  Our personal happiness.  There is no other place, no other area that so dramatically demonstrates this problem among Christians than in the way they approach their wedding vows.  I know this will sound harsh to many, but the truth is, our wedding vows aren’t really seen as vows anymore.  A vow is a solemn promise, something that binds a person for life.  Sadly, our marriage vows have been domesticated into pretty words spoken in a lovely ceremony, apparently more for substance.  For many people, they mean absolutely nothing.  Pretty words are easily discarded when things get ugly and life is no longer pretty.

Quit Trying to Be Big … and Just Be Faithful

Our culture says bigger is better. But in the kingdom of God, less is often more.

There’s nothing more disheartening to a preacher than to see empty seats in a church service. I’ll be honest—I like meetings where you have to pull out extra chairs and put people in the aisles. Why? Because I assume if God’s blessing is on a meeting it will be packed. I like numbers because, in my carnal thinking, crowds are more significant.

Our culture puts value on things depending on how popular they are, and we are guilty of applying this rule in the church. We like big. We even rate churches based on size. We know that the three largest churches in America in 2013 are (1) Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, (2) Andy Stanley’s North Point Ministries and (3) Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Community Church. The assumption is that these churches are leading the way in making spiritual impact.

But God doesn’t evaluate us based on numbers, nor does He rate our effectiveness by comparing us to someone else. Many pastors of small or mid-size churches get discouraged because they evaluate their ministries by counting the number of rear ends in seats or the amount of money in offering plates. But God’s ways are not our ways! Remember these kingdom principles:

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Many of us have trouble relating to the prayer, “God, give us this day our daily bread.” Because our pantries are so packed and our bellies so full, we seldom ask for food. More likely, we need to ask for self-control and say, “God, help me not to eat so much.”

You won’t find books on surviving starvation, but you will find shelves loaded with books on losing weight. That doesn’t negate the importance of the prayer, however. Just the opposite. We pray only to find our prayer already answered!  At some point it occurs to you that someone is providing for your needs.

You take a giant step in maturity when you agree with King David’s words in 2nd Chronicles 29:14, “Everything we have has come from You, and we only give You what is Yours already.” Long before you knew you needed someone to provide for your needs, God already had!

from: The Great House of God

Worship Roster 21-April-2013 - 7-Jul-2013

Worship Roster 21-April-2013 - 7-Jul-2013

God Listens

You and I live in a loud world.  To get someone’s attention is no easy task. But when someone’s willing to silence everything else so he can hear us clearly, it’s a privilege.  A rare privilege indeed!  You can talk to God because God listens.  Your voice matters in heaven.  He takes you very seriously.  No need to fear that you’ll be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God—and He listens. Intently.  Carefully.

Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven, and Scripture says, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10)

Your prayers are honored as precious jewels. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear:  Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!

from: The Great House of God

The Fire That Consumes You

God will speak to you differently than He will speak to others.  Just because God spoke to Moses through a burning bush doesn’t mean we should all sit next to a bush waiting for God to speak.  No, God reveals His heart personally to each person.  We learn His will as we take up residence in His house and seek to listen to him every single day.

Want to know God’s will for your life?  Then answer the question:  What ignites your heart?  Forgotten orphans?  Untouched nations?  The inner city?  What is the fire that consumes you? Mark it down.  Jesus comes to set you on fire and he will speak to you.  The fire of your heart is the light of your path.  Fan it at your own delight.  Blow it.  Stir it.  Nourish it.  Disregard it at your own expense!  Your delight is God’s message to you!

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Ephesians 2:10

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 7-April-2013 - Dr Sandra Nair

Speaker: Dr. Sandra Nair
Eagles Height Network

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?vxvmmoljalab1lr

Practically Speaking: 5 April 2013

Words Of Affirmation
Sometimes saying what we think can get us into trouble. But if you are in a relationship with a person whose primary love language is Words of Affirmation, learn to speak out the positive thoughts you have towards them. Husbands: if your wife looks nice when you come home, tell her. Wives: If you like the way he looks in those jeans, tell him. Parents: Tell your kids you are proud of them for working hard on difficult homework. Too often we miss the moment and unintentionally hold back the very words that can fill the love tanks of those we love. (Relationship: All)

Acts Of Service
Serving your spouse breakfast in bed can be a great way to fill his/her love tank. Think through the morning and prepare a plan of action. Don't just leave them stranded in the bed waiting until you fix everything without a magazine, book, or devotional—unless, of course, they are sleeping. Think through the presentation. Remember, don't let this expression of love backfire by neglecting the dishes or leaving a mess in the kitchen. (Relationship: Marriage)

Receiving Gifts
If you are a parent of an elementary aged student(s), visit your local dollar store and stock up on some little toys or trinkets that your child would enjoy. Then when packing his/her lunch, drop one in each day and let them find it at lunchtime. They will know you put a little extra thought—and love—into preparing their lunch and feel special. (Relationship: Parent to Child)

Meet the Savior

If you took a name at random out of the phone book and asked me,“Max, how does Chester Whomever feel about adultery?”  I couldn’t answer.  I don’t know Chester Whomever.

But if you were to ask me, “Max how does Denalyn Lucado feel about adultery?” I wouldn’t even have to call her.  I know.  She’s my wife.  We have walked together long enough that I know what she thinks.

The same is true with God. Walk with Him long enough and you come to know His heart.  When you spend time with Him in His study, you see His compassion. When you welcome Him to enter the gateway of your soul, you’ll perceive His will.  To meet the Savior is to be set aflame. To discover the flame is to discover His will.  And to discover His will is to access a world like none you have ever seen.

from: The Great House of God

Let God Be God

I’m more a landlubber than a sailor, but I’ve puttered around in a bass boat enough to know the secret for finding land in a storm. You don’t aim at another boat. You certainly don’t stare at the waves. You set your eyes on an object unaffected by the wind, a light on the shore, and go straight toward it. You see, the light is unaffected by the storm.

In seeking God, you do the same. You focus on “a cut above” any storm life may bring. Like Job, you find peace in the pain. Like Job, you cover your mouth and be still. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” A command with a promise. Be still.  Cover your mouth. Bend your knees.  And, as a result, you will know that I am God.

Be still.  Be quiet.  Be open and willing.  Let God be God.

from:  The Great House of God

The Problem With Rob Bell’s Gospel

The controversial author says evangelical Christians are too narrow. But didn’t Jesus tell us to follow the narrow path?

When former evangelical pastor Rob Bell published his bombshell book Love Wins in 2011, his Michigan megachurch reportedly lost 3,000 members. They scattered quickly because Bell questioned the existence of a literal hell. His point was that Christians need to develop a nicer message with a lot less judgment. But his solution was to throw out 2,000 years of Christian theological tradition.

Then last month, Bell made a more stunning announcement from a pulpit in California. He told people gathered at Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church in San Francisco, that he supports same-sex marriage. His primary reason, he said, was that culture has changed and we need to adapt.

“I am for fidelity,” Bell said. “I am for love, whether it’s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man … This is the world that we are living in, and we need to affirm people wherever they are.”

I can appreciate Bell’s desire to affirm people. And I agree that some Christians come off sounding unbelievably harsh when we talk about homosexuality. But Bell didn’t have anything affirming to say to the evangelical Christians who were his support base during the early years of his ministry. He trashed us. And he was judgmental about it.

Only You and God

When I lived in Brazil I took my mom and her friend to see Iguacu Falls, the largest water falls in the world. I’d become an expert by reading an article in National Geographic magazine. Surely, I thought, my guests would appreciate their good fortune in having me as their guide.

To reach the lookout point, you must walk a winding trail that leads through a forest.  I used the time to give a nature report to my mom and her friend. I caught myself speaking louder and louder.  Finally I was shouting above the roar.  Even my mother would rather see the splendor than hear my description.  So, I shut my mouth.

There are times when to speak is to violate the moment.  When silence represents the highest respect. The word for such times is reverence.  The prayer for such times is “Hallowed be Thy name!” (Matthew 6:9).

from: The Great House of God

God’s Workshop

I remember knowing kids whose fathers were quite successful.  One was a judge.  The other a prominent physician. I attended church with the son of the mayor.  “My father has an office at the courthouse,” he could claim. Guess what you can claim?  “My Father rules the universe!””

Scripture says, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies announce what his hands have made.”  (Pslam 19:1) Nature is God’s workshop.  The sky is his resume.  You want to know who God is?  See what he has done. You want to know his power?  Take a look at his creation.

How vital that we pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in heaven.  Pray with any lesser conviction and your prayers are timid, shallow, and hollow. But spend some time walking in the workshop of the heavens.  Seeing what God has done—seeing what your  Father has done and watch how your prayers are energized!

from: The Great House of God

Just for You

Behold the sun!  Every square yard of it is constantly emitting 130,000 horse power, the equivalent of 450 eight-cylinder car engines.  Consider the earth! Our globe’s weight is estimated at six sextillion tons—that’s a six with 21 zeros!  Yet it’s precisely tilted at twenty-three degrees or our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood.

If God is able to place the stars in their sockets and suspend the sky like a curtain—do you think it remotely possible God is able to guide your life? Could it be He is mighty enough to light your path? Jesus said, “Look at the birds in the air.  They don’t plant or harvest or store into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them.  Why do you worry about clothes?”  (Matthew 6:26).

Next time a sunrise steals your breath, say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, “Do you like it?  I did it just for you!”

from: The Great House of God