TO OBEY IS BETTER
"But Samuel replied, 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'"
I Samuel 15:22

Some of the greatest lessons we will ever learn come from learning them firsthand. As a child we seem to learn to not touch a hot stove only by touching it once and feeling the result. In fact, in many cases as kids, it only takes one time of punishment to realize what actions we should not do. But why is it that we have to learn the hard way? When my son was a toddler, my wife at the time and I worked through a program called Growing Kids God's Way. Although I did not agree with every detail, the concept of first time obedience and expecting it from my children was valid. My children, for the most part, obey the first time to this day. However, I cannot say that this same concept is always true of me. At times I find myself like King Saul in I Samuel 15.
The prophet Samuel had shared with Saul that he was to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belonged to them, including wives, children and all livestock. So Saul set out to do this. However, when it was all said and done, it was only half done. Saul had spared the evil king's life, as well as the best sheep and cattle. Because Saul did not follow fully God's command, God was grieved to have made Saul king. Samuel was sent back to Saul with a new message, this time of bad news.
Saul was happy to give his status report about following God's commands, but when questioned about the animals and the king, Saul blamed his men and said they were for a sacrifice. Sadly, Samuel gave Saul his news that because Saul had not completely obeyed God's command to totally destroy the Amalekites and all they owned, God was rejecting him as the king of Israel. Saul confessed that he did not obey for fear of his people, but it was too late.
How many times do we miss out on God's true blessings for us due to our lack of obedience? Saul was ready to go and make amends with God and give Him a sacrifice, but the point was God wanted obedience from the start. I am guilty of this. I find myself at times not doing what I know God is saying. I am grateful that God does forgive, but that doesn't mean I should go sin on purpose (Romans 6:14). I must obey. If I want God's blessing on my life I must obey all He asks of me. And sometimes what He asks is out of my comfort zone, or contrary to what I want to do. But for you and I, before it is too late, we must obey.

GOD'S INSURANCE POLICY
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow. Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right - he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you - under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.
Psalm 91:1-4 Message

Last month I received paperwork in the mail advising me that my renter's insurance policy was needing to be renewed. At first I thought, 'it's been a year already?', which then led to the question, 'it's going up that much?' So I started shopping around to see what better deals I could find and still get the same coverage. Last night my journey came to an end as I found an agent from church that was able to help me save on both my renter's and auto policy.
But as I was driving into work today, I was reminded about all the times God has kept me safe. His Word says that He is our shield and rampart, and He will protect us from harm. Now first let me say that this does not mean I should not have insurance. I believe that it is a wise thing to own, especially since evil looms in this world and we are all subject to it. But to put all my faith in an insurance policy is crazy. God is a faithful and loving God, and He protects His people.
In the NIV version of this passage, it reads in verse 4 that, "his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." In the Hebrew, Strong's defines these words as COCHERAH and TSINNAH. A Cocherah is a shield or buckler. Tsinnah is something piercing and also shielding. So to think of these words in this context, God is saying that His firm truth and faithfulness is our fortified and protecting shield. When God says that He will take care of us, we can live in the assurance that He will. When God says that He will protect us from the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day (verse 5), then we can rest in knowing that He will be the shield that covers us from the onslaught of evil coming our way.
In who is your insurance? Do you trust only the people who cover all states, or in the lizard that searches out the best deal? Are you trusting the farmer to protect you? While it is wise, and sometimes required, to have this world's insurance, I challenge you to not trust soley in these methods. Trust in God to protect you and bring you safety. Believe me, the best 'good hands' you can ever be in are God's safe hands.

MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1

The match strikes and the theme begins. You know the theme, even if you never watched the T.V. show. Mission: Impossible. I was too young to see every episode, but I saw the movies. I loved how the plot twisted just as I thought I had it figured out. I enjoyed the character changes, trickery, and the death defying missions of Tom Cruise's character Ethan Hunt. But as much as I may want to accept his missions, I have my own mission that I must choose to accept. I have been charged to accept
MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY.
The Hebrews 12:1 passage is right on the heels of the great faith chapter of Hebrews 11 where we are given a glimpse of the great one in the Bible who acted on a faith in Christ. We're given the names of Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and David to name a few. And we're told of the crossing of the Red Sea, the victory over Jericho, the persecution of the prophets and saints. But Hebrews 11 leaves us with these words in verse 40, "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would [those before us] be made perfect. Did you catch that? There is something better for all the saints, but we must stand on the shoulders of those before us. We do have a gathering of believers who have gone before us, lived their lives and performed their deeds, and have passed the torch on to us. That vast gathering includes saints of old, like Moses, David, Daniel, Stephen, Paul, and other well known names in the Bible. But it also includes people like Polycarp, Tertullian, John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon and those who continued to spread Christianity and shape it as we know it today.
And we are challenged to be the next witnesses in this grand gathering. As such, the instruction for us is laid out in this passage. "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles..." We are called to run straightaway, to run without hesitation or delay. As it would be a challenge for a runner to win a race carrying a bag of rocks against others who weren't, so it is a challenge for us to run our race with sin tripping us up and weighing us down. Can we expect to take the torch and run with our sin, and still cover the ground needed to reach our goal in this race we are on? Are not those after us waiting for us at our mark to receive the torch from us?
The challenge is to run with perseverance. Perseverance defined means to persist in a state, enterprise, opposition, or discouragement. We will not reach our goal if we do not persist. We will not leave the spiritual legacy to those who follow us if we are entangled in the sin that prevents us from our goal. It is our mission to run without hesitation. So, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to run straightaway. Do you accept
MISSION: STRAIGHTAWAY?

NOT ONE FORGOTTEN
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:42-43

Tomorrow I will wake up to my children laughing with excitement that the Easter Bunny has come. There will be Easter eggs, chocolate, egg searches, and holiday classics on TV, like the Ten Commandments. Church attendance will be up, stores will be closed, and hyper kids will rule the day.
So what is the true meaning of Easter? I am sad to say that I asked my children this just days ago and my oldest (almost 7), told me he was not sure. I was sad to hear this answer after his years in Sunday school, as well as his mother and I taking time to tell our kids about the great moments of Christ. His response was that he knew about the bunny and the eggs he would get, but thought that Jesus did something of importance, but could not tell you what. As we continued to talk I was proactive to tell him the details in hopes that it would make sense and be remembered.
As I was telling my son of the Easter meaning, I began to remember this one portion of scripture. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost. His time spent of earth was a time of winning hearts through His teachings, miracles, and character. He told us to ‘be holy as [He] was holy.’ He called His believers His sheep and said they would know His voice and obey. He constantly reached out to the broken and wounded, and energized their hearts with His words and touch. He truly accomplished His mission of seeking and saving.
And here, in Luke 23, we see in Jesus’ most humiliating moment that He was still reaching out. As the thief on the cross next to Jesus called out to be remembered, Jesus simply told him that he would be with Jesus in paradise. The thief knew that he was guilty for his actions and knew that he needed salvation. Jesus knew it too and He provided the way. The good news, however, is that Jesus still saves. His death on the cross was for us, just as it was for that thief. His sacrifice on the cross became our ability to live in eternity with Him.
But we do not get in by our good behavior, or on the coat tails of our parents, or even by the fact that we donate funds to charity yearly. Romans 10:9-10 makes it clear that there is a narrow path that we must walk. “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” We must ask God into our lives for true salvation. God has not forgotten you but waits for your heart to be willing given to Him. The challenge is to contemplate your salvation. Are you saved? Christ died and rose again for you. Maybe you are one who stumbled on this site by accident. The good news is that God loves you and paved a way for you to come into a relationship with Him. You, just like the thief, will not be forgotten by the simple prayer of, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” And to the one who has walked for so long with Christ, you are not forgotten either. God told the people of Israel that He would never leave them nor forsake them. So here we are, years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and He is still working to accomplish the same task in our lives…seeking and saving us when we are lost. No one is forgotten.

MORE MUSTARD PLEASE
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:20

Last month was a trying time for me, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I started up my car and was ready to hit the road and go to work. I was ready, but my car wasn't. Overnight my power steering went out. And not just the hose and power steering fluid, but the rack and pinion. I was able to get to work with the help of a friend, and was able to borrow a car for a few days while my was being looked at, but when I got the call from the mechanic concerning the price, my faith was challenged. It was going to cost so much more than I had that even the mechanic advised it would be better to purchase a new car.
So I hit the floor, balancing between panic and faith. At times, though, it was more panic than faith. I had to make myself be strong and believe that God had my needs in mind. I had to believe God's word, that He would be my Jehova Jirah, my provider. Within three days of hearing the news I received a call that someone I didn't know had heard about my need and was prepared to help me purchase a used car. And this car came with lower miles, better gas mileage, and other features that were either better or newer than the car I was losing. I knew I was being blessed.
But here's what I stumble. I don't consider myself to be a giant of faith. I have seen God move in my life and those times have been stepping stones for me. For instance, like when I broke my femur in that 'just right' spot and was told by the doctor I would not walk again without surgery, and God healed me completely and I walk just fine. Or when I sold my house in six days when the market wasn't at it's best. I have seen God use me to pray for others and they get healed, and that too builds my faith. But I am no giant. I still question if God can at times...not so much will He...but can He?
Recently I was talking with my girlfriend about all the things we are wanting to see God do, and I found myself referencing this verse to her about having a mustard seed of faith. And then it hit me, I didn't have a lot of faith that God would work out a car for me. I expected to go deep into debt with a loan of some sort. I had about a mustard's seed worth of faith, and even that I had to 'muster' up. But that is what God says is enough for Him to work with. If we have a mustard's seed worth, then we have enough to move mountains, have bills paid, experience healing, and even see miracles. If NOTHING is impossible with just a mustard seed, then the limits are limitless.
So what are you believing God for? Do you believe it will come to pass and that God has your best in mind? Take it from someone who has recently experienced this for himself. All it takes, all we are required to have, all we need is a mustard seed of faith. Come on, I know you can muster that up.

POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND
For God has not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
II Timothy 1:7

Over the weekend my children and I visited my girlfriend in North Carolina. It was a great little trip and we all had fun. We stayed long enough to visit her church as well. The kids were ushered to a Sunday School class with her kids, and the adults were left to enjoy a few minutes with other adults. When the classes were done, my son brought me his paper from class to hold. While I was waiting for service to start I began looking at his lesson. The sheet gave the children a chance to comment on what their worries were. As I read his paper, I saw he had marked:
- not getting along with his sister
- people aren't taking good care of the earth, and
- some country may attack ours
Given the choices on the paper, I'm sure he marked ones that are true to him. But it began to make me think about how I would have responded to this same question. What are MY worries?
- will my finances be enough to support my family
- do my kids know I love them
- am I a good father
- have I missed God's calling on my life
- when I leave this world, will my legacy be positive or negative
Of course I have more worries, but this list will do for now.
But what does God say to us in His Word about fear and worry. If we know that in John 16:33 Jesus tells us we will have troubles but to take heart, He has overcome the world, then shouldn't that give us some relief? And how about II Timothy 1:7 where we are told that God has given us power, love, and a sound mind, and not fear?
Let's take a minute to break this passage in II Timothy down, though. Fear comes from the devil. God did not give us the devil. No! He banished the devil from his place of holiness because the devil was not holy. So then what are we given?
POWER - Acts 1:8 tells us that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us.
LOVE - I John 4:8 states that God is love
SOUND MIND - Isaiah 9:6 shares with us that one of the names for Jesus will be Prince of Peace.
So let's put it all together. God has not given us the devil. No! He has given us the Holy Spirit as our power, God Himself as our love, and Jesus Christ as our peace. It is a three against one battle and we already who is going to win. So the challenge to you and me is to stop focusing on our fears and focus on those who fight for and with us. Sure, we are human and we get tangled in our minds with the things that we see and feel and know, but still our focus should be on the Trinity. Our victory over fear and worry comes from above.

AN ALL-AROUND GOD
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7-10

I am honored to say that I am the parent of two young children who I love dearly. But I am also human, and sometimes my children run my last nerve. If you have children, then you will probably agree with me that no matter how much we love them, there are those moments when we just need a few minutes alone. For me, that time normally comes while I am in the shower. For that brief few moments I am alone. I am able to let my thoughts be mine and not my children's, able to filter out my day and prepare for the next moment, and able to focus on what other pressures need my attention. I know that when the water stops and I open my door I will be super-dad again and be asked to bring justice between the two, or prepare a meal, or turn the movie on. But I welcome it.
But in those times when I am able to escape my children for a shower, I am not able to escape my title. If an emergency broke out, I would be quick to end my alone moments and tend to my children. The truth is that they can not escape their title as my children either. And the same is true with God and us. Infact, it is deeper. God is all knowing and all present. He knows our every move. When I am 'alone', I am really not alone. And David says it so well, that there really is no place I can go where His hand will not guide me or hold me fast.
God knows the number of hairs on our head (Matt 10:30), He knows our thoughts and our hearts (Ps 7:9), and He wears our names in the palms of His hands (Isa 49:16). We are always on His mind. But the challenge then becomes where He is in relation to our mindset. In a few days it will be Saint Patrick's Day, and as a student and fan of church history, I want to close today's thoughts with the words of Saint Patrick. Perhaps they will challenge you to wear Christ as we are worn by Him.

Christ With Me, Christ Before Me
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning,
against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come abundance or reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.