SCARLET LETTER
"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' - and you forgave the guilt of my sins."
Psalm 32:5

Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter is a love story between a minister and a married woman sent ahead of her husband to America. When her husband does not follow in due time, she believes him dead. She pursues a relationship with the minister, but soon after realizes that her husband is not deceased afterall. Having already moved into this new relationship, she is destined to wear a scarlet "A" on her chest. The letter "A" represents the act of adultery that she committed and is to be a symbol of her sin for all to see.
While I am not promoting this book, I am able to relate to this book. For clarity sake, I did not commit adultry. But I did learn shortly after my divorce that people tend to look at me one of two ways. There are those who know the story, followed along, counseled me in the midst of, and understood when the final actions took place. But there are also those who feel like I did not do enough, gave up too easy, or maybe even had 'someone else' waiting in the wings. I have given up trying to convince people since they only believe what they want to anyway. But from friends and church, one thing is the same. I have been given my own scarlet letter. A "D" has been stamped on my chest because of my divorce.
I recently heard my pastor speak on John 8 concerning the woman caught in the act of adultry. The Pharisees came to Jesus with the woman in hand ready to stone her for her sin. This action was right according to the Law. But when they questioned Jesus, He simply knelt down and wrote the mystery words in the dirt. Jesus got back up and stated, "If anyone of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (Jn 8:7). From old to young, the people left till no one was there to stone her.
I am not saying that I was the perfect husband; believe me I know my faults and take my blame. And I am not here to smash the integrity of my ex wife. But I am here to challenge us as Christians. Too often we are too quick to judge and play the role of God. We slap a letter on other people's chests, but do we realize that we are wearing one too? Not all of us have committed adultry, or gotten a divorce, but we all have sinned. We all wear the letter "S" on our chests because we are all sinners. It is for this reason that Christ died for us. When we confess our sins, He forgives the guilt of our sins as stated here is Psalm 32. Christ's blood washes away our sins, and as a result we no longer have to walk around with scarlet letters on our chests.
I urge and encourage you today, to examine yourself. Are you wearing an "S" on your chest? If so, then like me, stop covering yourself and acknowledge your sin. Confess your sins to God. He will forgive you and cover your "S" with His blood.

HIS STORY IS HISTORY
"Do not gloat over me. my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light"
Micah 7:8

I heard a quote over the weekend that stirred me.
"Every man creates his story - HISTORY. What will HISTORY reflect of you?"It caused me to do some thinking in the hours and days that followed. I first thought of Jesus and how His story changed the world. If He had not come to earth to become our redemption, then for me, life would be worth nothing.
But this concept can be seen in all history. Christopher Columbus wrote his story as a man on a mission to explore the world. Harriet Tubman's story was of an underground railroad that would help to free many slaves. George Washington Carver allowed his story to read the many uses for a peanut. Adolph Hitler penned his story as a murderer of millions. The list goes on and on, good and bad, man and woman. History does not play favorites as it gives everyone the chance to journal. What is journaled, however, depends on the author.
What will HISTORY reflect of you? These words still challenge me. Some days I feel like my life is still an open empty book waiting to be written in. Other times I feel like my past has already written my future for me, so there is nothing new to add in the book. But that is where I am wrong, and where Micah 7:8 begins to take shape. In every one's book there will be stories of victory as well as defeat. In those lines of sadness or error, our enemy tries to keep us down. The villain never wants a happy ending, so he will twist the story to work in his favor. If we allow ourselves to be robbed of the happy ending, then yes, our story is complete and not many will reflect on the legacy our pages left.
But I encourage you with this. You are the main character in your story, and the story isn't finished yet. Let us not end our story in defeat, but say to our enemy that there is no cause to rejoice over a stumble or a moment of darkness. My story begins and ends with the LORD Himself, raising me out of my despair and placing me in the light of His countenance.
"Do not gloat over me. my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light"
Write your story...write history for all to remember.

WEIGHTS
"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

I read the testimony this week of Jennifer Brindley, founder of Rise Up! Ministries. She was talking about how she came to know Christ and her decision to start a health program. My attention was caught when I read, "mental weights are heavier than the physical weight." Now while I do not consider myself obese, I will share that I am about 15 pounds over the advised for my height and weight. However, I know that I am overweight when it comes to my mental weight.
The Bible tells us in this passage that we are to put off the weights that hinder us and the sin that entangles us so that we can run the race. For me, my biggest weight is my self esteem. Growing up I have always felt love from my parents and family, but from others it has always been a different story. I have had many experiences with rejection that have defined my life and given me the negative memories I find myself still trying to heal from. With this pain, I have also put dreams and desires on the shelf, or been extreemly cautious in making them come true. If you have followed this blog from the start, you know that my desires have included being a pastor and writing books. Yet I find that my biggest struggle is myself, and believing that my desires are God's desires, and as a result, that they will come true.
There are many testimonies of people like me who have overcome their past. Maybe their struggles were rejection and divorce like me, or other struggles associated to abuse, financial hardship, or bad family life. Either way, God still wants us to handle it the same way. To throw it off. I am reminded of Gideon who considered himself the runt of the family, yet was used by God to do something mighty. Perhaps you and I feel like we are the runts. It is time for us to throw off that mentality and believe who we are in Christ. It is impossible to run this race with perseverance when our mind is not focused on God.
In closing, I received an email today in response to a question I posed to a fellow dvorced friend. I asked what methods and scriptures she was holding to in these tough times of being recently divorced. And here is her response that goes beyond just a divorced person, but to the depth of overcoming weights. "I am walking with God because He is the light. If there are tunnels, He will be my beacon." Tunnels and dark spots in life are always going to be present. But let us walk with God so that these mental weights will cease holding us down.

HELP ME, I'M WEAK
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

As I have shared in the past, I am divorced. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions and changes. Some days I am feeling good about where my life is headed, but other days I am sad as I look at all the things I lost in my divorce. To go from having someone there to come home to, to suddenly coming home to an empty house is tough. Or to go from shared responsibilities to having to handle everyday life alone is challenging. Add into the mix children, and life can quickly move into a state of survival. Now before I get nasty comments and all, let me advise you that my children are my world, and anyone who knows me knows I try hard to provide for my children. I refuse to be the 'Disney Dad', or the weekend and holiday dad. It has never been my intention to take my kids and run, or hurt my ex-wife by taking from her who is dear to us both. But the point I am trying to make, is that life is hard.
Life is hard whether or not you are divorced, though. I can look at others in my life and see they too have their hard times. My father is suffering from ALS. Everyday he struggles to breathe, or make a movement, or even talk. And my mother is faithful and takes care of him, from administering his food, to cleaning his tubes, to dressing him. And she does it all with a merry heart. Ask her years ago if she would have expected to see herself in this position and chances are she would have said no.
So what is it that keeps people like my father from giving up, or keeps my mother serving daily in tasks that make me nauseous? What is it that keeps me holding on when I like George Jetson am screaming out, "Get me off this crazy thing?" Where does the energy come from? On my own I have none. But here in Isaiah 41:10 we see that God provides the strength we need. I am fearful about my future; I don't know the next steps. I am concerned about what will happen to my father, and concerned who will help my mother since I do not live close by. Yet God says it so clearly. "...I will strengthen you and help you..."
Why am I so afraid that God will forget me and that I will be left to fend for myself. God says He will never leave me nor forsake me, yet I question if He even knows my name at times. The creator of life speaks these words to me, to my mother and father, and to you right now that He is our strength. It is true, I am weak. But in my weakness I find myself exactly where I should be. I am where even John the Baptist was when he responded, "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30). Only in our weakness do we find His strength.

FOLLOW THE LEADER
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." I Corinthians 11:1

When I was around the age of 12, my parents gave me a great responsibility. As one of the big brothers, my job was to ensure then that my 8 year old sister would be at the bus stop on time. Well it took only a few missed buses before I finally had a brainstorm of how to accomplish this. True with most children, curiosity and slow walking were our failure. So I took it upon myself to compose an idea that would grab her attention. The next day we played Follow the Leader. Knowing how much time we had, she followed my example of skipping, walking, waving hands, and when needed, running. By the time we got to the bus stop, we had time to spare. This idea worked so well that it became a daily game, everyday changing the actions some, and everyday making it to the stop on time.
I've read this verse many times over the years, and my mind always reverts back to those days of Follow the Leader. It wasn't that it was a magical game, but it was more that it kept my interest as a player and a leader for what actions were coming next. As I reflect on these days and consider the words of Paul, I can't help but think the same thing. The city of Corinth at this time was filled with fornication and every evil sinful act possible. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, his message was about immorality, marriage, standard practices, communion, and the resurrection of Christ. In his stance for the truth in these matters, Paul wrote the bold words, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."
Follow the Leader, though, is never a one person game. Infact, following Christ is not even a one person game. Amos 3:3 questions, "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" The Leader, Christ, is always willing to play and is looking for those who will join Him in the game. There will be times of running, skipping, walking, but also times of showing compassion when we would rather not, blessing others when we are in need of a blessing ourselves, and dieing to Christ daily when we feel He is asking too much. The question then becomes, will we play this game with Him?
My sister was too young to know the point behind my method of the game. To her, it was just fun: to me, it was my responsibility of making sure she was on time. But you and I are old enough now to see that we are being beckoned to play this game, knowing the reason. The point is not hidden from us. It goes two ways, us following Christ, and us being an example or leader for others. The challenge I leave with you is this. Are you willing to follow His example in your life? Sure, it might mean giving up things. It might mean letting go of hindrances and sins that you are attached to. But isn't it worth it, following God into a life of freedom? And isn't it worth it to others you influence in so doing, to bring them closer to Christ as well because of your example as the leader?

DEVOTION AND CRAMPED HANDS
“…but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.”
II Samuel 23:10

I love finding the little known stories in the Bible that pack a punch. The story of David’s thirty-seven brave warriors happens to be one of those. In fact, when I first read it I had to do a double take to make sure I was reading it right. Let me help paint the stage for you. David had a group of men known as his mighty men, and according to I Chronicles 11:10, gave his kingship strong support to extend over the whole land. They were all trained warriors and were devoted to David. If someone or something was in the way, they removed it. One of these mighty men was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite. The Bible does not say much about Eleazar, but it says enough to make me think. Eleazar’s claim to fame was a tired hand. The Philistines were being taunted for battle at Pas Dammim. However, Israel retreated as they got close to a barley field. Eleazar did not retreat with the rest of Israel. No, he held tight to his sword, placed his feet firm in the ground, and began striking the oncoming Philistines. II Samuel 23 records that he fought so fierce that his hand froze and cramped around his sword. When the day was finished, David and his men received God’s victory.
The whole section concerning Eleazar happens to be just a few verses, but still I see something in there that we need to grasp. DEVOTION. Eleazar, as well as the other thirty-six men, were devoted to the king. Webster’s defines devotion as:
Religious fervor; the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal.
David’s men were loyal to him. They not only helped him get and keep his kingly status when others challenged David’s authority, but they also laid down their lives for the king. Even in this example we see that where so many shrank back, these men stood their ground.
Devotion is something that many Christians lack. For instance, Exodus 20:3 shows the first commandment as, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Devotion would say through action that nothing is more important than God. Devotion would resist temptation and flee evil. Devotion would not let things like gluttony, porn and lust, money, or any other idol come before God. But that is not true of our culture; at least it was not for me. For years I called myself a follower of God because I had prayed the sinner’s prayer, but my lifestyle was not portraying God as God. My idol was pornography. My god was lust. The object of my affection was what made me feel good. I was loyal and dedicated, but not to God, but rather to my god.
I don’t know where your devotion lies, but I can only pray that like me you have seen the light. I pray that you have made God your God and that now you are devoted to Him. With the same tenacity that Eleazar had as he held on to his sword to defend his king, I pray that you are holding your ground when evil and temptation come at you to distract you from God. Know this, life is not easy. Our devotion will forever be challenged; sin will always be crouching at our door. But, here is our hope spoken from Jesus, Himself. “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

SURPRISING ANSWERS
"Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Mark 11:24

This past weekend the kids and I attempted to watch the fireworks. The day was going well till about 5:30 or so when I looked out the window of the pizza parlor we were in and noticed it was starting to rain. Our hope was that the rain would pass and we would be able to see the show still. However, our wish was not granted and around 8:15, with no hope in sight of a clearing, we started our journey back home.
I will be honest, I have a hard time driving in the dark, and an even worse time during the rain. When we started to drive back home, it was a sprinkle. However, about 10 minutes down the road the sprinkle became a down pour. Panic came over me as I drove. I could not tell if I was in my lane or that of oncoming traffic, and many times I had to come to a complete stop when other cars approached me. When the opportunity came, I pulled off the road and sat there in the car with the kids to wait out the storm. Still it pounded, and still we sat.
I grabbed my son’s hand, as he too was afraid, and we prayed. We prayed for peace, prayed for protection, and prayed that the storm would lighten up to allow us to get home. Within two minutes of our prayer the rain was light enough for me to drive, and my son was sleeping in the backseat, just like his sister. The drive home was completed and we were kept safe.
Here is the question I ask myself. Why was I so shocked when God answered my prayer? If I believe in who God is, then why am I so amazed when God shows Himself true? I believe Abraham had enough faith to trust that even if he did sacrifice his son, God was God enough to bring Isaac back to life. David had faith enough to know that God could use him to smite Goliath. Hosea trusted God enough to believe that Gomer would be reunited with him in marriage. The prophets believed that the prophesies about Jesus would come true. And the women with the issue of blood had enough faith to believe that in touching Jesus’ garment, that she would be healed. But yet I pray and wonder if God will do what I pray, and then am surprised when it comes to pass.
Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if God did miracles, signs, wonders, and healings back when He was on the earth, then would He not still be able to do these same miracles, signs, wonders, and healings today? Any why am I so surprised when my prayers are answered? I have been on missions and seen people get healed, delivered, and turn their heart over to Christ. Yet every time this happens I am shocked to see that God has used me. Do I have faith? Do I believe that God hears everyone but me? Does God hear me?
The answers to all these questions are yes. God hears me when I pray. James 2:1 tells us that God has no favorites. My challenge is to believe that when I pray, not only does God hear me, but also wants to answer me. When I pray God’s will, He will give me the desires of my heart. Let’s bring this back to my drive home, though. God wanted me to have peace and safety. It should not surprise me to see God heal, giants fall, relationships healed, and unreachable people come to Christ. Nor should it surprise you. Our challenge is to believe when we pray. After all, God IS the same.