Start over

When you’ve trusted God and walked his way
When you’ve felt his hand lead you day by day
But your steps now take you another way …
Start over.

When you’ve made your plans and they’ve gone awry
When you’ve tried your best and there’s no more try
When you’ve failed yourself and you don’t know why …
Start over.

When you’ve told your friends what you plan to do
When you’ve trusted them and they didn’t come through
And you’re all alone and it’s up to you …
Start over.

When you’ve failed your kids and they’re grown and gone
When you’ve done your best but it’s turned out wrong
And now your grandchildren come along …
Start over.

When you’ve prayed to God so you’ll know his will
When you’ve prayed and prayed and you don’t know still …
When you want to stop cause you’ve had your fill …
Start over.

When you think you’re finished and want to quit
When you’ve bottomed out in life’s deepest pit
When you’ve tried and tried to get out of it …
Start over.

When the year has been long and successes few
When December comes and you’re feeling blue
God gives a January just for you …
Start over.

Starting over means “Victories Won”
Starting over means “A Race Well Run”
Starting over means “God’s Will Done”
Don’t just sit there ………… ..

START OVER

By Woodrow Kroll

Josh Hamilton & the People of the second chance

Josh Hamilton and the Texas Rangers are playing in the American League Championship once again. His personal story is one of tragedy, failure, grace, redemption, stardom, and pain. He is one heck of a baseball player, a modern day Roy Hobbs. His story is a reminder that God never gives up on anyone and that the grace found in the gospel of Jesus Christ is bigger than any failure we can think of. (Click on the title of this post to watch and hear Josh's story)

Enjoy!

Lessons from "the seats"

Go figure. Last night I was at another Rockies baseball game. Early Tuesday morning I got the call from Dad that he had "the seats". These are not just any seats, these are front row seats were you can actually see the players faces and what they are saying to each other. I am used to usually sitting in the cheaper seats so "the seats" are an awesome experience.

A few years ago we were sitting in "the seats" and had a funny experience. "The seats" are real close to first base where you have a great angle on plays at first base. You can hear the umpire and the first baseman talking because you are that close.

On this particular night there was a really close play at first base that the umpire called in favor of the other team. As home fans do, they booed the umpire. To our shame we were booing as well. Somebody near us made a snide comment to the umpire and he looked over to see who said it. There is an old term in baseball for umpires who do not know how to over look frustrated fans and who hear every comment, its called "rabbit ears". Rabbits are know for their long ears and their keen sense of hearing. So when an umpire gets caught up into the comments of the fans or the players and coaches they are called "rabbit ears."

My dad being the fan that he is, saw the umpire look over to find the guilty fan who was verbally harassing him and blurted out: "just call the game rabbit ears!" I was thinking to myself that the umpire must be really mad and frustrated.

Proverbs 15:1 'A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." NIV

How would the umpire respond? Would he show his anger? Would he try to win a stare down and intimidate the fan that was talking to him and escalated the moment?

Instead of getting angry or tough he displayed wisdom and he modeled a lesson from the Proverbs, as crude as it was, on how to handle situations like that.

After hearing my Dad's comment about "rabbit ears" he very slowly pulled out both of his back pockets and let them dangle there on his dairy ere, as if to say:"I got your rabbit ears right here. He did this while staring stoically forward at the playing field. It was hilarious! What a great response. We all laughed and gave him applause. We had all forgotten that he blew the call and went on to enjoy the game.

I imagine he learned how to handle situations like that as a veteran umpire. I am sure as a young umpire he took it all way to personally, but learned that he would not last long as an umpire unless he learned how to respond appropriately. I walked away from that thinking about the Proverb: 'A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." NIV


Lets strive to be the type of people who do not stir up wrath by reacting to the moods, actions, and frustrations of others, but rather controlled by the Spirit we respond with a gentle answer and turn away wrath.

What is your hope in?

The world is a crazy place right now.

There are people rioting and looting in London, showing that when given the right opportunity human beings, even the "civilized" can be intensely insubordinate and cruel.

Following the stock market is like being on a brutal roller coaster ride. Following the National debt is so mind boggling it makes mathematicians shake their heads. Financial instability is causing people to be in great fear for their future.

People are hurting because people hurt one another, betray one another, and fail to keep their promises.

Things that we thought were stable have turned out to not be so stable. People we trusted turned out to be untrustworthy.

What do we do?

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

How can I know that my hope is really in Christ? Ask the following questions of yourself.

1. How do I respond when I am falsely accused, misunderstood or betrayed?

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:21-23)

2. When I am offended by others am I quick to forgive?

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13)

3. Is my hope in money? My job? My 401K?

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

4. Is my hope in people, family, a good marriage, my kids? Is my hope truly in God alone?

"For if my father and mother should abandon me, you would welcome and comfort me." Psalm 27:10 TLB

I pray for us that..."the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

In the flow #1 (How would you answer?)

The following is from John Ortberg's latest book "the me I want to be" :

"How is your Spiritual life going?"

I used to answer this question by looking at the state of my devotional activities: Did I pray and read the Bible enough today?

The problem is that by this measure the Pharisees always win. People can be very disciplined, but remain proud and spiteful. How do we measure spiritual growth so that the Pharisees don't win?

I asked a wise man, "How do you assess the well-being of your soul?" He immediately said, "I ask myself two question".

* Am I growing more easily discouraged these days?

* Am I growing more easily irritated these days?

At the core of a flourishing soul are the love of God and the peace of God. If peace is growing in me, I am less easily discouraged. If love is growing, I am less easily irritated. It was a brilliantly helpful diagnostic to assess the health of my soul.

How would you answer those two questions?

www.themeiwanttobe.com

I am full of it...and so are you

It is that time of year when folks are spring cleaning, getting their houses and yards looking good for summer. Some are even zealous enough to plant vegetable gardens in hopes of enjoying the fruit of their labor at some point during the summer. I am not much of a gardener but I do fertilize my lawn, and its looking nice and green (it always does this time of year). Some people I know actually put real cow manure on their lawns to make them healthy and green. I am not much of a farmer but it is common knowledge that manure makes crops grow. The food we eat is nourished and given life by the waste of animals. Quite an appetizing thought!

Lets get right to it...

I am full of manure....and so are you. We all are. All of us have had experiences in life whether it be the bad choices of others or our own regretful mistakes that mark us. Call it what it is, painful, filthy, rotten, stinky MANURE! Life's manure actually makes us who we are. It is not a matter of if we have manure, it is rather how we view the manure of life that determines whether it will nourish and grow us or have th the opposite effect which is decay and death. Perspective is everything.

Life brings problems. Problems bring pain. The amount of pain we experience from life's problems is directly determined by our perspective of the problem. If my perspective of my problem, loss, grief, shame, failure, fear, etc. is out of focus or bigger than it should be I am going to experience a large amount of pain. However, if I can get the right perspective of the problem and see things through the right lenses I can actually benefit from my problems.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Sometimes we need to look at what a verse of Scripture does not say in order to understand what it actually does mean. First, notice he does not say "we see". Its hard to "see" how the manure of life is going to work for good especially when your going through it. To "know" is a faith word. It is trusting that some how some way God is going to work manure for good. Secondly, he says "all things". He did not say "some" things. So no matter what it is or who caused it God can and will work "all things" for our good. Thirdly, God works it for "good". God never calls evil good, but He certainly has the wisdom and power to work it for good. Lastly, the promise is for those "who love him". God has promised those who trust in Jesus that all of life's pain and sorrow will somehow someway work for their good and His glory. It is not a trite promise, it can be taken to the bank. Do you love Him? Then you can rest assured the manure of life will be worked for your good.

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

I first heard the Good News about Jesus Christ when I was a teenager. It affected me. I wanted Christ. I wanted assurance of heaven. I wanted purpose for life. A seed most definitely was planted in my heart the same way a gardener plants a seed in hope of a crop. However, circumstances and many bad choices created a large amount of manure in my life that actually at the time detoured me away from a relationship with Christ. The cares of this world seemed to choke out the seed and growth in my life. It wasn't until several years later that I actually came into a living relationship with God through Christ.

Once when I was reading Psalm 1 I realized something amazing about manure. Psalm 1 teaches about those who love God and have a relationship with Him and who trust His word. Verse 3 leaped off the pages at me:

"They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail."

Because of Christ I was a tree planted by living water! God had used the manure manufacturing choices of my life to actually nourish me so He could make me the person He wanted me to be.

So say this with me..."I am full of it...manure that is". But also say this: "I am a tree planted by living water, because of manure, and most importantly because of God's grace I will bear fruit, spiritual fruit in each season without fail!"

The Incomparable Christ

THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST

Almost two thousand years ago there was a Man born contrary to the laws of

life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not

travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in

which He lived; that was during His childhood exile.

He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous

and He had neither training nor formal education. In infancy, He startled a

king; in childhood, He puzzled doctors; in manhood, He ruled the course of

nature, walked upon the billows as if pavement, and hushed the sea to sleep.

He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service.

He never wrote a book, and yet all the libraries of the country could not

hold the books that have been written about Him.

He never wrote a song and yet He has furnished the theme for more than all

the songwriters combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools

put together cannot boast of having as many students. He never practiced

medicine, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors

far and near.

Every seventh day the wheels of commerce cease their turning and multitudes

wend their way to worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.

The names of the past proud statesman of Greece and Rome have come and

gone. The names of past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have

come and gone; but the name of this Man abounds more and more. Though time

has spread two thousand years between the people of this generation and

the scene of His crucifixion, yet He still lives.

Herod could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.

He stands in Heavenly Glory, proclaimed of God, as the living, personal

Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Dr. SM Lockridge