It Matters to Me

"But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you..." Acts 26:16

The status on a friend's FaceBook page recently caught my attention.  It read:  The two most important days of your life:  The day you were born, and the day you figured out why.

When we think of important days in our lives, things like marriages, graduations, the birth of our children are usually what comes to mind.  For me, the three greatest gifts of my life are: my salvation, my wife and my kids.  Seldom, do we think of our own birth or the day when we realize our purpose.

But the day of our birth is a gift only He can give. It's the day He gives us breath, the chance to live, grow, learn and love. And for our families, had we not been born, our children and grandchildren would not be of this world (remember the butterfly effect?).  Our life, while imperfect, was created in His image, with His spirit indwelling. In return, His desire is that we choose Him, and strive to be more like him.  The day we figure out why we were born, is the day that God speaks loudly, and we hear clearly, a day in which we are rewarded for our prayer life and obedience.  And it's the day we are set free to go and do His work.

God is God, the Creator of all things in the universe. He knew us before we were born, and knew the purpose He had for you. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." To understand the importance of your life, look into the eyes of your children.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

My Greatest Hope

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:43

Jesus spoke these words as He was hanging on the cross between two criminals.  He spoke in reply to the prisoner who humbled himself and said: "Lord, remember me."  Through His agony, in His most intense hour of suffering, Jesus showed mercy.

For us, it's never too late to repent, to humble, or to accept His grace and ask for forgiveness.  His love is beyond our ability to understand, and His wanting for us to come home, is a hunger that we taste when our own children stray. The intensity and passion of His promise comes from perfected love.

"Today you will be with me in Paradise." His promise is my greatest hope.  

My cousin relinquished to her 19-year battle against breast cancer this morning.  Her unwavering optimism was nothing less than awe inspiring.  Through her pain she always found joy. And though she could not win, she never loosened her grip on hope, nor lost her love for life. Today, she received her promise, and went home to be with Jesus in Paradise.  Peace be with you Lori.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

In Losing, I Won

It's harder to follow Jesus when we winning in life.  But what about when things aren't going our way?  To the believer, we know that when we're losing, God is preparing to show up in a big way.  It may not be the "big" that we want, but big in the way "He wants."

Herman Cain said: "Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is key to success."  May I edit to say:  Success is not the key to happiness. God is. And through Him we find success.

Mike Huckabee is by appearance, is a successful man.  But in life, he has faced his share of challenge.  Will you take about 5 minutes to listen to his testimony?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXZTfNSJoP8

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Billy Graham's Suit and a GPS

"For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." – Hebrews 11:10

Billy Graham is now 92-years-old with Parkinson's disease. In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina , invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, 'We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.' So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

"The conductor said, 'Dr Einstein, I know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.'

"Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued own the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

"The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, you don't need a ticket.. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going." May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."

Most reading BND are like Reverend Graham. You know where you are going. For those who aren't quite sure, the Bible is your GPS.  You already know the address – Heaven.  Open the cover and start reading.  His words are the truth and your guide.  Should you decide to follow, He will show you the way.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Go and Prepare to Die

"Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." – John 16:24

About 5 years ago, Mel and I were guests at a lecture series at the Florida Air Museum.  The guest speaker was pilot and photographer,  Bill Fortney.  In attending the lecture, we thought we were going to hear of Bill's experience at flying and photographing his runaway New York Times bestseller, "America at 500 Feet." But what we heard was the testimony of Bill the Christian.

Bill had spent his life chasing fame and fortune, only to be struck down with terminal cancer in the prime of his life. Immediately after surgery, Bill's worst fears were confirmed, and doctors advised him to get his life in order.  Late at night, in the darkness and quite of his hospital room, Bill argued with God, asked for mercy, and strength to face the time he had left with his family.  Then he began making deals, and promised God that he would live every moment for Him.

Today, Bill lives for God, family and work (in that order), where before his illness, his priorities were reversed.  Bill gave all of us some very good advice that evening:

ONE: Learn to believe in something more important than yourself; a God worthy of your belief and praise, and trust Him with your heart and your life.

TWO: If you want everything you ever dreamed of, give it away to others. Only in giving will you ever find that you have received everything you really need.

THREE: Slow down and enjoy all you've been blessed with. Never be too busy to hug a child, love and support your spouse, or encourage a friend.  It's hard to count our blessings when we are going too fast to remember what they are."

Footnote:  In closing, Bill said that once God became his "true" priority, health was restored, his perspective on life changed, and after he stopped chasing fame and fortune, it was given to him.

How many people have you known who have worked very hard building that retirement nest egg, but died before they could enjoy the fruits of their labor? Bill's experience teaches us to take time to enjoy our blessings.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

How to Treat People – Lesson 5

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." – John 15:13


Fifth Important Lesson – Giving When it Counts


Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5 year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.


I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”.


Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

How to Treat People – Lesson 4

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" – 1 Peter 10:40


Fourth Important Lesson – The obstacle in Our way


In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.


Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!


Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

How to Treat People – Lesson 3

"You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God." – 2 Corinthians 9:11


Third Important Lesson – Always remember those who serve.


"In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.


“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.
“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
“I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.


The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.


You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip."


How many us have been where this waitress was?  Impatient. To busy to be bothered. Thinking, this kid is wasting my time. And while the boy was following lessons of giving most likely taught by his parents,  he was actually the teacher in this lesson. He brought this lady down to earth. And through his heart, illustrated that the gift, when it comes from a place of true genuineness, is not the gift at all. The "act" of giving is the real gift.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

How to Treat People – Lesson 2

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." – Galatians 3:28


Second Important Lesson – Pickup in the Rain


An African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960’s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. 


She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console colour TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:


“Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away… God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.”


Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

How to Treat People – Lesson 1

I can't take credit for the core messages in the series this week.  An article was sent to me, and I just had to use it.  Just so happens that there were 5 lessons in the article.  I hope you enjoy the series as much as I do.


"And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." – Matthew 25:40


First Important Lesson – Cleaning Lady


During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:


“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”


Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?


I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.


“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say “hello.”


I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

He is Risen

Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” – Luke 24:39

When Jesus was arrested, all of the disciples, fearing for their lives, ran away. All of them except for John. After three years of mentoring by the  Christ, they were cowards, milquetoast. When they should have stood for their Lord, when he needed them, they ran and hid.  But three days after the crucifixion, these very same disciples were emboldened champions, that went everywhere proclaiming Christ. 

From cowardice to courageous. From hiding to heroic. What happened that caused ALL unbelief to be removed from the hearts of these disciples?  

So powerful was this single event, that these men ultimately died as martyrs for their Faith in the Risen Christ!!!  If Christ did not die and rise from the dead, what then transformed these fearful, Christ deserters into fearless and powerful symbols of the truth? 

Something happened that was so profound and persuasive, that these men would die for Him.

The Resurrection!

Had these men not run before the crucifixion, and then witnessed the rising, the power of the truth would not have had the same sovereign authority. There is no greater gift from God than the resurrection.  NONE!

Take a moment to reflect on the final scene from the Passion:

The Resurrection from the Passion

The Resurrection on Twitter

"...knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 6:9-11


Imagine our world had God not sent his only son to die for our sins.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Rated "R"

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." – Matthew 28:6-7

Why the Passion was Rated "R"

By Tim Stevenson

The "R" of course is because of the violence, the gore.  In movie terms "R" stands for RESTRICTED, but in this movie "R" stands for REALISTIC, for it REALLY happened for a REASON because we were REBELLIOUS.

We needed a REDEEMER,

We needed to be RECONCILED,

We needed to be RECOVERED,

We needed to be REGENERATED.  

Jesus needed to be REJECTED so that we could have a RELATIONSHIP not just a RELIGION.  

The "R" is to REMIND us to REMEMBER what Jesus did to REMOVE our sin to RENDER Satan powerless, to RESCUE us from eternity in hell.  

The "R" rating is to show that Jesus was RESPONSIBLE for giving you REST. As a RESULT of his death Jesus RETIRED your debt.  

The "R" rating means that some will be REPULSED, some will REFUSE to believe, some will be RELUCTANT, some will think you are RIDICULOUS in believing that a death was REQUIRED.  

The "R" rating means that the RESULT of sin has been REVERSED and now through faith in Christ your REWARD is eternity and you are now RIGHTEOUS before God because you have RECEIVED him as the RULER of your soul.  

He was crucified, buried and RESURRECTED so that He could REDEEM mankind.  

Thank you Marcy, for sending on March 23, 2004.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

He Took the Nail for Us

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do." – John 17:1-4

Crucifixion was considered by the Romans to be the cruelest form of execution, and was reserved for only the worst criminals. So punishing was this death penalty, Roman citizens were never crucified.  So revolting were the details of Jesus' murder, the disciples could not write about them.

1 Peter 2:24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Is there anyone you love so much, that you would give your life?  Perhaps your children, spouse or your parents.  But would you die for me? Your neighbor, a criminal, or the homeless guy under the bridge? You see, Christ willingly went to the Cross because of us – for ALL of us!

John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

From the Passion

I BELIEVE!

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

The Easter Carrot

We all have heard of the Easter Bunny, but have you heard of the Easter Carrot? Well I hadn't either, that is, not until Dennis sent me his sermon for his Easter Sunrise Service.  Here is the condensed version:

The carrot is a root crop, so the soil must be prepared and readied for the seed to sprout, grow and mature. Likewise our hearts must be readied for the risen Lord to plant His seed of faith, so that we can grow and be fruitful in our relationship with Him.  The carrot must have a sound root system to create a good product, as our lives must be grounded in Christ to bring forth a Christlike life growing in His will.  

The carrot has a lush green top, but it does not define the carrot. Hidden beneath the surface, the carrot may have bad spots which are not discovered until the harvest.  Some of us may do church and look good on the outside, but on the inside where our relationship with Christ resides, there may be some bad spots. And not until our harvest, when we are “born again" do we become one with God.

The carrot is usually orange but can be found in white, yellow, pink, or purple.  It may be short and stout, long and thin, or any combination therein.  Sounds like us!  We can be all of those things in Christ, so long as we remember that God loves all of us, no matter the shape, size or color.  And when the Lord finds us, like the carrot he wants to pick us up and dust us off so that we are clean and useable.  Unlike the dirt on the carrot from growing in the ground our dirt is sin.  And this is why Easter is so important to the believer.  Because of the cross and the death of Jesus, we can be made clean and useful in service to the Lord.  This is made so by God’s grace through His son.  We cannot pull the weeds from our lives like we can in the garden, but we can ask Christ to do so. 

And finally we know that the carrot has nutritional value and can bring health into our lives.  So does our risen Lord, who brings strength and well-being into our lives.  

So as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, let us always be mindful of the "Easter Carrot” that we may go forth rooted in the love and will of God.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Denied!

"Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”And he went outside and wept bitterly." – Matthew 26:75

Peter just did something that he swore he would never do. He denied Christ – three times. His denial of Jesus left him with such remorse, that it stripped away ALL of his pride, clearing the way for true humility. With pride gone and his soul bare, Peter was prepared for real spiritual growth.

When we are able to conquer pride in our life, there is nothing left to get between us and the Lord. And we can finally listen, rely and grow in Him.

Think of the irony of Peter denying Christ.  Through his betrayal, Peter was broken, restored, and risen to become the rock of Christianity.

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Wash My Feet – Part II

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me. “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” – John 13: 6-9

In ancient times, slaves were looked upon as the lowest form of human life. And with this prejudice, Peter cannot stand the thought of Jesus doing "slave's works." By this, we know that Peter loved Jesus, but lacked humility, is prideful (better than a slave) and self-centered – all of which are at the heart of all sin. Peter completely missed the point of Jesus' act of submission and humility. Through the footwashing, Jesus revealed, that by serving one another, completely void of pride or position, we can find our way to the heart of God.

And through the footwashing, what have we learned about volunteering in our community? Helping someone on public assistance? Serving a homeless person?

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.

Wash My Feet – Part I

"...so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." – John 13: 4-5



"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." – John 13: 12-15

At the time of this meal, the Last Supper, the shadow of the Cross was looming over all in the upper room. Having taken off His outer garment, Jesus was left with a shorter garment and dressed as a slave. He tied a linen towel around His waist which was used to dry the disciples' feet. In those days, washing somebody's feet was something only a Gentile slave would've been required to do, never a Jewish slave. But on this day, the Son of God, the Christ, took his disciples' feet into his hands and wash them – doing the work only the lowest of the slaves were required to do.



It was an act of humility that Jesus was teaching in one of his last lessons before going to the cross. Knowing that His disciples didn't yet understand, He realizes just how radical washing their feet was to them. On one level, it was an example of humility, on another, they would only fully understand after the cross.


What does this washing symbolize? Some think it represents forgiveness of our daily sins. While others interpret the footwashing as baptism. Regardless of the interpretation, we have the most profound revelation of the heart of God, self-sacrificing love from the creator of the universe.


The Last Supper: From the Passion

Seeking and Following,

Dean

You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you, wherever you are, God has put you there; He has a purpose in your being there. Christ who dwells within you has something He wants to do through you wherever you are. Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.