Listening to God (Part 2)

-Learn to listen to God through other people

Sometimes God uses other people to talk to you. It may not be deep or even profound, but something you hear may trigger a chain of thoughts that helps you in some powerful way. This is another reason why you shouldn't tune people out when they're talking to you. Learn to pay attention even to the most annoying or obnoxious of people, they may be the person God is talking to you through. Learn to listen to God through your thoughts

-Sometimes your thoughts are God talking to you. 

If your thoughts do not line up with what God has said in Scripture then this is not the case. That's why it's important to be knowledgeable of Scripture, to be able to tell what's Him and what's not. So much gets placed in your mind on a daily basis that it takes someone well-able to sort out the other voices to tell which one is His. People are often confused about their thoughts - if it's them, the devil, or God. What God would say would not go against anything He has already said, remember that. Learn how to sort through the inner voices; it will make it much easier to recognize His voice.

-Learn to listen to God through your dreams.

Sometimes your dreams are where God talks to you through. It's good to have pen and paper in case this is the avenue God chooses to talk to you through. There are times when you're so groggy the next morning that you may not even remember the dream. When possible if you believe you've heard God speak to you through the night, the first thing you do is to write it down when you get up. Not all dreams are from God, but some might be. Trust your instinct with this.

-Learn to listen to God through children.

Children have the purest form of expression and are usually the most honest people you'll ever meet. I've had children say things that blew my mind and really made me think about things. Sometimes I even hear God in my grandson and he's just five years old. It may just be as simple as, "lighten up and have some fun man! You are too stressed out and you're missing out on life."

-Learn to listen to God through what you're saying

This one has happened to me many times. Sometimes you're talking to someone else, and then you say something that catches you off guard. Has that ever happened to you? Where you said something so profound it amazed even you? You and the person you're talking to are just sitting there like, "whoa, say that again!" And you wish you had it on tape somewhere so you could replay it exactly. Learn to listen to your own words, because at times what God is trying to say to you-the thing you've been praying about and wanting answers for-that still small voice that you need to hear-is coming out of your own mouth when you least expect it.

Listening to God (Part 1)

Have you ever wondered what God is saying to you? Many people feel as if they can't hear God and as a result they walk around aimless, clueless, and lost. You can tell people that know they've heard God because they're doing what He said to do. Some hear and are in denial of what He said, so they act as if they're deaf and need clarity. There are those people that are new to hearing the voice of God and actually want to know how you do it.  Here are some ways you can know God is speaking to you.

-Learn to listen to God through instinct.  

Sometimes instinct is God's way of telling you something. If you sense you should do a thing, then you should probably do that thing, as long as that thing lines up with Scripture. You may be out running errands and you believe you should take a different route home. That could be God telling you to take another route home instead of the normal way. Even if you don't see any tangible construction or danger ahead, sometimes it's good to follow your instinct.

-Learn to listen to God through the Scripture

The Scripture is what God has already said. He's not going to say anything that's contrary to what He has said previously. God is not schizophrenic, hypocritical or confused. He is true to the things He's said before, and will say them again if need be.

-Learn to listen to God through prayer

Prayer is communication with God. You talk to God, and God talking to you. You have to make time for Him to talk to you. Often times we talk to God and dump our requests on Him and then go about our business and God is ready to say something back to us. You don't talk to anyone else like that, so give Him the courtesy of speaking as well.

-Learn to listen to God through nature

God made the earth and everything in it. It has the ability to speak to us in a way that people cannot. God's creation speaks of power and might and stability and many other attributes. Sometimes it's great to just take a trip to a place where you know you'll get peace and quiet and reflect and enjoy nature. You can look out into the ocean and get answers to some of life's hardest questions without asking a thing.

-Learn to listen to God through observation

Watch the world around you and you will see what God is saying. As you're watching, pray about what you see. It's not always about what's on the surface but there's usually an underlying thing God wants you to notice, especially if you see a trend happening. God operates in patterns, so be aware of patterns going on around you, whether it's good or bad. God may be trying to tell you something.

12 Ways to Reduce Your Counseling Load

Not every pastor enjoys counseling. But other than by skipping town, how can you decrease the demand? Here, based on specious clinical research, are a dozen methods guaranteed to keep counseling off your to-do list. 

Don't put a door on your office. 

Sing songs such as "Put On a Happy Face" and "Don't Worry; Be Happy" to counselees. 

Step out of the office and start laughing uproariously. 

Tell the counselee that although you can't figure out a solution to the problem, you'll bring it up in the sermon on Sunday and see if anybody has any ideas. 

Casually catch up on your reading while counselees bare their deepest problems. 

Tell the counselee you are videotaping the session for replay on the local cable program: Candid Clergy. 

Put a bumper sticker on your car: "I'd rather not be counseling." 

Refer them to a helpful article in your favorite professional journal: the National Enquirer. 

Suggest counseling by fax machine. 

In front of the counselee, phone your spouse and ask for his or her opinion on what to do. 

Recite tales of people who are a lot worse off, and call the counselee a crybaby. 

Engage the counselee's mother-in-law as a co-therapist.

When nothing makes sense

2 Corinthians 5:7 "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"

It doesn’t make sense to try to and figure out why some things happen. We know He said that our ways are not His ways, and who can understand the mind of the Lord? We hear the sound of His voice, and we have a choice to get out of the boat and walk on the water with Him in the midst of the storm or let the storm get the best of us. 

We have two choices-get busy living or get busy dying. We can live with adversity or let adversity live us. I need to listen to this as much as the next guy. I’m but a man who has failures as well as anyone, and I must keep my bearings by looking to the center and He always gets me back on track. It isn’t easy, and often it’s painful, like I’m barefoot walking on a rocky road, but then He leads me beside the still waters, and I forget the rocks. I look into His eyes, and loose the pain, just for a moment. One day at a time unless it’s really hard, then one hour or one minute. Keep your eye on the target, Jesus, and what He’s set before you. Then forget the rest, the distractions of Satan that will consume your time, and waste your life. 

James said this life is but a vapor and how disappointed God will be for some who had a gift from heaven and wasted it on distractions and bitterness. We must get back up if we sin and fall or let the sin keep us down until we decide not to get back up again. We 

don’t have all the answers why bad things happen, except we live in a fallen world and bad things happen because of sin. The world is so addicted to the outward appearance and they spend a fortune on doctors creating something that might look good that does nothing for God. He doesn’t really care about the your height, weight, or complexion. Ask Samuel if you don't believe me. God looks upon the heart and desires to dwell their with His greatest creation.

We can hide from man but not God. He knows all our thoughts before we even think them. When my thoughts are off course it shows how infallible I am and how much I need Him. I am so grateful that He will never leave me nor forsake me. He remains faithful even when we are unfaithful. I don't understand the whys, but I trust in the One who does. How about you?

What!

Most people don't realize how much editing goes into a church bulliten or newsletter. Some announcements have to be completely rewritten because if they appeared the way they were submitted, it would lead to total confusion. Below are some examples:

1. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community. 
   
   
2. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. 
   
   
3. This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Martin to come forward and lay an egg on the altar. 
   
   
4. Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet may come forward and do so. 
   
   
5. A 'Bean Supper' will be held next Sunday evening. Special music will follow. 
   
   
6. At the evening service tonight, the topic will be 'What is Hell?' Come early and listen to the choir practice. 
   
   
7. The United Methodist Women have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the church basement this Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
   
   
8. The flower on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Hunter, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Hunter.

Jesus In The House

One day he decided to invite the Lord to come home and stay with him. When the Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room in the house. The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall. "This room is yours, Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever you want to in this room, remember Jesus, its all yours."

That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud knocking at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made his way downstairs. When he opened the door he found that the devil had sent three of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to close the door but one of the demons kept sticking his foot in.

Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the door shut and returned to his room totally exhausted.

Can you believe that," the man thought. Jesus is upstairs in my very best room sleeping while I am down here battling demons. Oh, well, maybe he just didn't hear. He slept fitfully that night. The next day things went along as normal and, being tired as he was, the young man retired early that evening. Along about midnight, there came such a terrible ruckus at the front door that the young man was sure that whatever it was would tear the door down. He stumbled down the stairs once again and opened the door to find that were dozens of demons now trying to get into his beautiful home.

For more than three hours he fought and struggled against the demons from hell, and finally overtook them enough to shut the door against their attack. All energy seemed to fail him. He really didn't understand this at all. Why won't the Lord come to my rescue? Why does he allow me to fight all by myself? I feel so alone. Troubled, he found his way to the sofa and fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the happenings of the last two evenings. Quietly he made his way to the elegant bedroom where he had left Jesus. "Jesus," he called as he tapped at the door. "Lord, I don't understand what is happening. For the last two nights I have had to fight the demons away from my door while you laid up here sleeping. Don't you care about me? Did I not give you the very best room in the house?"

He could see the tears building in Jesus' eyes but continued on, "I just don't understand, I really thought that once I invited you in to live with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my house and everything. What more can I do?"

"My precious child," Jesus spoke so softly. "I do love and care for you. I protect all that you have released into my care. But, when you invited me to come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the door to the rest of your house. I am Lord of this room but I am not Master of this house.

I have protected this room and no demon may enter here."

"Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house -- it is yours. I am so sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have control of everything." With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at Jesus' feet. "Please forgive me Lord for being so selfish."

Jesus smiled and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He would take care of things from now on. That night as the young man prepared for bed he thought, I wonder if those demons will return, I am so tired of fighting them each and every night. But, he knew that Jesus said that he would take care of things from now on.

Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The young man slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the stairs. He watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be afraid.

Satan stood at the door, this time demanding to be let in. "What do you want, Satan?" the Lord asked. The devil bowed low in the presence of the Lord, "So sorry, I seem to have gotten the wrong address." And with that, he and the demons all ran away.

There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a part. He will take all that you give Him, but nothing more. How much of your heart have you given to the Lord? Are you keeping a portion of it away from Him?

Perhaps the attacks are coming more and more each day. Why not let the Lord fight the battles for you? He is always victorious. I have found that God made man simple, all of man's complexities are of his own devising.

What's Your Choice?

Life is just the choices we make each day.

-We can choose to love or we can choose to be afraid.

-We can choose to help or we can choose to turn away.

-We can choose to forgive or we can choose to hate.

-We can choose to be kind or we can choose to be cruel.

-We can choose to trust or we can choose to be suspicious.

-We can choose to give or we can choose to take.

-We can choose to serve or we can choose to be selfish.

-We can choose to laugh or we can choose to sulk.

-We can choose to cry or we can choose to hide our hearts.

-We can choose to smile or we can choose to stress.

-We can choose to be at peace or we can choose to be at war within ourselves.

-We can choose to live or we can choose to just exist.

-We can choose to believe God loves us or we can choose to live in doubt.

-We can choose to shine our souls or we can choose to dwell in darkness.

-We can choose to make this world more like Heaven or we can choose to make this world more like Hell.

What's your choice?

Struggles (Part 2)

The key to victory in our struggles with the flesh lies not in ourselves, but in God and His faithfulness to us: Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."

We all struggle with our flesh. Even the apostle Paul shared about his ongoing struggle with his own battle internally with the flesh: 

Romans 7:18-20 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." Paul’s struggle with the flesh was real; so much so that he cried out in Verse 24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?"

Yet in the next verse, he answers his own question, as well as ours: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” In this passage, Paul not only provides us with the very key to victory when struggling with sin, but explains the never-ending battle between our sinful nature and spiritual nature: “So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."

Paul said in Verse 14, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin." Paul is comparing our sinful nature, our flesh, to that of a slave. Just as a slave obeys his master, so our flesh obeys sin. However, as believers in Christ, we have become spiritual beings under the law of Christ; our inner selves are under the influence and ownership of God’s grace and the life of Christ. As long as we are living in this world, our sinful nature and fleshly desire will remain with us. But we also have a new nature in Christ. This leads to a struggle between what we want to do and what we actually do, as sin continues to attack our earthly nature. This struggle is a normal part of living the Christian life.

It’s interesting to note that Paul, the greatest of the apostles, declared that, of all sinners, “I am the worst!” in 1 Timothy. Paul affirms the struggles we all have as we battle with sin and temptation in our lives. The struggles are real, and they’re debilitating. We grow weary from the never-ending temptations and in falling short of God’s glory. Paul, in essence, is telling us that we need not pretend that we’re untouched by our struggles. He’s been there. He understands. Though our efforts to do right seem desperate, we do have hope “through Jesus Christ our Lord." And He, in fact, is the key to our victory over sin.

A true Christian will war with Satan and his daily efforts to undermine us. The devil is the ruler of this world, and we are living “behind enemy lines." With our focus on Christ, however, we will be able to cultivate a mindset that proclaims we’d rather die than do anything to hurt God. When we give ourselves to Christ totally, Satan will flee from us. When we draw near to God, He, in turn, will draw near to us according to James 4.

Our key to victory in our struggle with sin lies in the very promise of God Himself in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Struggling (Part 1)

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10 KJV)

"Struggling with sin" is a phrase that is used rather lightly in many religious circles. What does it mean to "struggle" with something? The word "struggle" means to "fight against"; it means to "strive, put forth effort in order to not give in". It does not mean or imply that the one who is struggling is on the losing side of the struggle. And yet, many believers when they say that they are "struggling" with sin they mean that they are committing sin(s) even while trying not to. They mean that they have struggled and then they were defeated by sin. And so perhaps the word "defeated" rather than "struggling" more accurately describes such people. Sadly, many people accept such "struggling" as a way of life. They have not truly struggled so hard that they have suffered any great deal striving with all their might not to give in to temptations.

I'm not saying that a Christian will have no struggles with temptation.  I am saying that when a Christian is tempted, he must love God more than the temptation. Fighting against the temptation must be "worth it" because he would never want to do something to grieve God. A Christian desires to make sure that he is fully submitted to God to resist the temptation; the devil will then flee (James 4:7). For we are promised that no temptation will be too difficult for us because God himself will make a way for us to stand up under every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). We may suffer or struggle and it may be difficult, but we can overcome. There is HOPE! Even Jesus suffered when he was tempted (Heb. 2:18). Remember the Garden of Gethsemane!

Many people lose heart because they have "blown it" too many times. Put your faith in God! BELIEVE that you can and will overcome because of HIM. Don't rely on establishing a good "track record" before you have confidence. Believe today! Know that your belief entails a love affair with God--so much that you will do ANYTHING for him. But don't believe the lie that "struggling" is the same thing as "sinning". It is not true. Struggling against sin does not mean that you are displeasing God. Struggling against sin is one of the main evidences that you hate sin. So, struggle and be victorious through the glorious power of our great and mighty God.

A wholehearted Christian is someone who struggles against sin and then gains the victory through Christ who gives him strength. Christians do struggle with sin and then get the victory through faith. The "struggle" of the Christian is not a vicious cycle of try-fail, try-fail, try-fail. No, the struggle of the Christian echoes the sorrowful, yet rejoicing cries of the Apostle Paul, "we faced trials far beyond our ability to endure" (2 Cor. 1:8); "God has delivered us and will continue to deliver us" (2 Cor. 1:10). "Now thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ" (2 Cor 2:14).

Perhaps you are convicted by God. Perhaps there is sin in your life that you cannot seem to give up. Do not lose hope. Rather, repent and get rid of everything that hinders you (Heb. 12:1-2). Ask God to give you a revelation of the LOVE that he has for you. BELIEVE! Truly submit to God. Resist the devil and do not give your temptations a foothold.

Quitting on your Dream

We all face obstacles in pursuing our goals, whether they’re professional or personal, especially in the church.

We think we’re on the right track but wonder if we’ve chosen the wrong approach. We’re enthusiastic and hard-working, but our support system disintegrates when we need them the most. We’re just about to make significant progress when we run out of resources to make things work.

Tenacious as we may be, we all have our breaking points—that moment when the potential rewards stop justifying the effort. Usually that’s the hump that separates your best shot and your best reality.

Before you quit pursuing your dream and  move out of God's Will ask yourself the following question-has anything changed? Has God removed your dream or delayed it for a season?

You had a good reason for committing to this dream. Maybe you visualized a financial blessing once you started to grow, or you expected great changes as your vision was accepted by the people.

Odds are you still want those things as much as you did before; you just stopped believing you could have them because your attempts have yet to yield results. Now you have to ask yourself: If you push through the discomfort, will it be worth it in the end?

A concept studied in social psychology called “the sunk cost principle” indicates the more we’ve invested in something, the less likely we are to prematurely walk away.

How invested are you? How much money and time have you devoted? How many sacrifices have you made? Are you really willing to chalk it all up as a loss because you’re not feeling confident in your abilities? What would you tell someone else if they were in your shoes?

Would you tell your best friend to throw in the towel because they can’t possibly reach their goal? Or would you practice your finest motivational speech and help them see what you see in their potential? Unless you’re secretly a frenemy who hopes they fail in life odds are you’d push them to be their best—so why not push yourself?

It may sound kind of cheesy, but you need to be your own best friend. You, more than anyone in this world, deserve your belief and motivation.

If you’ve gone through all these questions and still feel resolute about the decision to give up, you have my blessing to abandon your goal. (Bet you feel so relieved!)

If you don’t or if there’s some lingering doubt keep working toward that dream that fills you with passion. Take a different approach if you need to. Enlist new assistance. Scale back your time commitment to something you can more easily maintain. But whatever you do, don’t give yourself a reason to one day utter the words, “I quit because I was scared.”

Which side of the cross are you on?

In these passages of scripture Luke takes us to Calvary’s Hill. Here we find three men being killed two for being criminals and one for being perfect. And more times than not I would preach on the middle cross out of these scriptures but this I want to take a different look at this event. I want to look at the two men that were dying along side of Jesus. Now the Bible doesn’t say exactly what these men done to be suffering execution. Here in this reading Luke calls them malefactors, which simply means (one who commits and offense against the law). Matthew and Mark both called them thieves so it would be logical to assume these me probably stole something. It very well could have been they were two of Barabbas sidekicks if you would. In Luke 24:33 we read how one of these men was hung on the right hand side of Jesus and the other on the left. They were on different sides of the cross. With that in mind I want to ask you this question: “WHICH SIDE OF THE CROSS ARE YOU ON?” 

I. ONE WAS DENYING HIS GUILT , WHILE THE OTHER ONE ADMITTIED HIS WRONG 

A. (v. 39) We see the thief on the right railing on the Lord saying, “If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

B. He was denying his guilt

C. (v 40) The other rebuked him saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

D. (v 41) And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds

E. He was admitting his wrong

F. If people are ever going to get right with God they are going to have to admit they have been wrong

II. ONE WAS SORRY FOR BEING A THIEF THE OTHER WAS SORRY HE GOT CAUGHT

A. The same verses re-iterate this

B. Some people aren’t sorry for what they have done they are sorry they got caught

III. ONE REALIZED HIS CONDITION, THE OTHER WAS BLIND TO HIS CONDEMNATION

A. If a person ever gets saved they have got to get lost first. 

B. (v 42) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into they kingdom

C. (v 43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise

D. The thief on the left died and went to hell with Jesus right beside him

IV. ONE WAS DYING IN SIN, ONE WAS DYING OUT OF SIN AND ONE WAS DYING FOR SIN

A. The thief on the left was dying in sin and refused to ask Jesus to help him

B. The thief on the right realizing he was in his dying minutes of life asked Jesus to remember him and died out sin

C. The one in the middle was alone, destitute, friendless and fatherless that day as he died for the sins of all mankind.

It's because of the man on the middle cross that we have life eternal. But you have to choose which side of the cross you stand on. Will you choose today?

Thanks Joe White for the sermon.

Dumbest People Ever

1. A medical student was working in the toxicology department at the poison control center. A woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants. The medical student quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital. She calmed down, and at the end of the conversation happened to mention that she gave her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants. The student told the mother that she better bring her daughter in to the emergency room right away. 
   
   
2. Seems that a year ago, some Boeing employees on the work field decided to steal a life raft from one of the 747s. They were successful in getting it out of the plane and home. When they took it for a float on the river, they were quite surprised by a Coast Guard helicopter coming towards them. It turned out that the chopper was homing in on the emergency locator that is automatically activated when the raft is inflated. They are no longer employed there. 
   
   
3. A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture of handcuffs. 
   
   
4. A woman was reporting her car as stolen, and mentioned that there was a car phone in it. The policeman taking the report called the phone and told the guy that answered that he had read the ad in the newspaper and wanted to buy the car. They arranged to meet, and the thief was arrested.

Perception

We all get caught up in our stories. Most of us think we are our stories. It’s when those stories take on a life of their own, and that life isn’t the one we want, that things start to suck.

Think about the story you’re living right now. Who wrote it? Did you consciously decide to create the reality you’re living now, or was it mainly shaped by your parents, friends, spouse, school, or the media? If you don’t like the story your living, then change the perception. Envision how you’d write the next chapter of your story. Better yet, actually sit down and write it. Focus your perception on creating a new reality, one where you are in charge of the story. Take back the job as screenwriter and director, and stop just being an actor in a drama you are not fond of.

Everything begins with a decision, so decide now to be in charge of your own perception of reality. Because if you don’t, there are plenty of folks whose sole purpose in life is to craft that perception for you. Do you trust them to have your best interest in mind?

Perceptive words spread knowledge;fools are hollow—there’s nothing to them. The empty-headed treat life as a plaything;the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it. (Proverbs 15:7, 21 MSG)

The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;fools look for it everywhere but right here. (Proverbs 17:24 MSG)

I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, (Ephesians 1:18 HCSB)

And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ (Matthew 13:14, 15 NKJV)

Dealing with Grief

5 Comforting Psalms About Grief

Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Psalm 119:50 "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me."

Psalm 18:28 "For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness."

Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

One of the biggest problems most people face when dealing with sorrow, is wondering when the overwhelming sense of grief will subside.

When you’ve lost a loved one from your life, you feel as though you will never recover from the grieving process. Every time you think of that person your eyes well up with tears and your sense of loss feels inconsolable. Allow yourself to grieve and you will find that with the passing of time your grief will lessen.You won’t ever forget that person, but instead of grief you’ll have wonderful memories.

Dealing with sorrow can be a difficult time for you, but don’t complicate it by turning to alcohol or drugs to ease your pain. What happens when the effects wear off? You’re right back where you started.

The real secret to quickly dealing with sorrow is to live your life as you normally would. Go back to work and socialize with your family and friends. If you were playing sport beforehand then start playing again. Keep your life as normal as you can even though you may still experience feelings of grief from time to time. This is perfectly normal.

If you feel that your grieving period is going on far too long, then you might consider going to a grief counselor. These practitioners are trained to deal in that specialty so ask the experts for some help. Don’t try dealing with it on your own because it can lead to depression which will take longer to get over.

There is always help out there for dealing with sorrow. All you have to do is ask for it.

Encourage

The Bible uses the word “encourage”, “encouraged”, “encouragement” and “encourages” in many places.  The Holman Christian Standard Bible uses “encourage” 21 times, “encouraged” 21 times, “encouragement” 12 times, and “encourages” 1 time.  Strong’s Lexicon’s Hebrew word for “encourage” ischazaq (khaw-zak'), the Greek is paramutheomai (par-am-oo-theh'-om-ahee) and protrepomai (prot-rep'-om-ahee).  Both mean to comfort or exhort. 

It is our responsibility to foster the well-being of each other as fellow believers.  What are some ways we can do this?

-Exhort one another  to walk close to Jesus and remain committed to Him in faith. (Rom. 15:4) It is through our endurance and encouragement of the scriptures that we have hope.  Endurance means perseverance, and we persevere because of the encouragement of the Scriptures.  We can only have encouragement of the Scriptures when we “feed” on them daily and absorb their many spiritual “nutrients”.  That is foundational to our Christian faith and in knowing who God is.

-Build and strengthen each other in Jesus. (2 Thess. 2:17) Encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.  We gain strength when we pursue biblical Truth in our daily activities and interactions with others.  We give strength when we encourage others to stay focused on the Lord and not veer off course where we’ll be derailed by the trappings of the world.

-Motivate others to be their best thru Christ. (Phil. 4:8) Pursuing moral excellence through character building.  Become more like Jesus.  We should make it our objective to strive for excellence in everything we do, and stay away from mediocrity or lukewarmness.  Likewise, we give the same support to those around us and make them feel worthy of God’s love by motivations we give them.

-Comfort the hurting/weak/sick as Jesus would. (1 Thess. 5:14) If we see anyone who is struggling in their Christian walk, instead of judging, we need to help them in their weakness so they’ll make better choices.  Sometimes folks go through very hard times and have many personal struggles.  It can happen to any of us!  So when we see someone “down on their luck”, try to be of service and help in meeting their needs.  It’ll make us stronger in the process.

-Heal the brokenhearted. (Luke 4:18) Jesus stated publicly that it was His mission to bind up wounds and heal the brokenhearted.  He ultimately did that on the Cross.  There were many brokenhearted people who were lost and needed the Gospel and a Savior, which He preached to them during His earthly ministry.  We need to remind ourselves and other people that we are no different and to look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith.  In Him we have that healing and cleansing.

-Preah hope for a hopeless world. (Rom. 5:1-5) We can rejoice to having obtained peace with God by accepting His Son as our personal Savior. We now have a real hope of eternal life and know with certainty that Jesus will bring us to Heaven.  That is also our Blessed Hope, that we make it an event we look forward to and to obey His command to WATCH for Him and be ready. (Mark 13:33; Matt. 25:13; Matt. 26:41; Matt. 24:43).  Watching for me is an encouragement as I see current events unfold and know how they are lining up with references about the end times. (2 Tim. 3:1; 1 Thess. 5; Luke 21:28-32; Matt. 24; Dan. 12; 2 Pet. 3:3).

-Rest in the Promises given to us in Scripture.  (2 Pet. 1:4; Jer. 29:11) These are referred to in Peter as “great and precious promises”, and they certainly are!  In my mind, there can’t be anything better than to “share in the devine nature” which we will be given.  I’m looking forward to it as I get older!  That is real encouragement to me, to be finally free of limitation and sin when I’m transformed into a glorious being.

Are Your Footsteps The Footsteps Of Jesus?

1 Corinthians 11:1, KJV   "Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

Lee Strobel tells about a mother from Costa Mesa, California who told about the day her three-year old son was on her heels wherever she went. She was having trouble doing her routine chores.

"Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around I would trip over him," she said. "Several times I suggested fun activities to keep him occupied, but he would just smile and say, 'That's alright Mommy I'd rather be in here with you.' He continued to follow me and after the fifth trip, my patience wore thin and I asked him why he was following me constantly."

He said, "My Sunday school teacher told me to walk in Jesus' footsteps but I can't see him so I'm walking in yours."

The greatest way we can teach our children about and show our loved ones the love of Jesus is through the example of how we live, and how we model his love in our everyday life.

As another has said, "We raise not the children we want but the children that we the parents are."
So let this be your prayer:

"Dear God, please help me to so live that people, especially my children (and loved ones), will see Jesus in me and will want to follow in my footsteps and have Jesus in their life too. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

What Is A Father?

Hands big enough to get lost in.

Power unimaginable.

Stumbling, bumbling fool.

Excellent lover, insensitive and uncaring spouse.

The protector, the builder, the fixer and the destroyer of dreams.

Not worth remembering and yet, someone's entire world.

I could have written some lovely piece laced with warm memories and powerful images of all a father should be.

I could have made you cry by telling you about the empty place at my dinner table that still rips my heart every holiday.

I decided instead to tell you how difficult it is to be a father, or simply a man in this world.

I don't need to hear from anyone about how strong and important women are. I bow to each and everyone of you, so hold your emails.

It's Father's Day...This is about guys.

When my dad was alive I always remember how much I hated buying a father's day card. They spoke of fishing, hunting, sports, father always knowing the right thing to say to comfort a child. They mention dedication to faith and family and the strength it took to stand tall in face of adversity.

I would choose a "Hope you have a great day" card and sign it with love.

He wasn't a bad father. I loved him deeply.

If you've been with me for more than a year you will know that every father's day since 1998 I sing "Danny Boy" to my dad at his grave.

So, why couldn't I find a card?

Dad wasn't the warm fuzzy type. We went fishing once, maybe twice, never hunted, or played sports, he had a temper and I had the sore rear end to prove it. He went to church once in awhile, believed in God, but shoved it all down my throat with a vengeance. "Do as I say, not as I do."

He wasn't a drinker or smoker.

He worked hard, very hard, like my brother, his entire life to give family all they needed.

He adored my mom. Sang to her. Danced with her. Said "I love you."

But he couldn't say "I love you" to his sons without mumbling it. If he did, it was because something was wrong, someone died and he suddenly realized how delicate life was.

The point is, being a father isn't easy. Oh, you can certainly get someone pregnant, but that doesn't make you a dad. Being a dad is the part that's difficult, confusing and misunderstood.

Today's image of manhood is confusing.

If you are too tough on your children, you're uncaring, out of touch, mean, and although you had good intentions, will most likely be remembered as a tyrant.

I always feared hearing "Wait until your father gets home!" That, in itself, was punishment enough...just waiting.

If you're too easy, you're a bumbling fool who should never have had children. "Never good with the kids."

Somewhere in the middle is a macho man with the ability to cry at the end of a "chick flick."

Television shows about family usually make the father out to be a sex driven fool who only cares about having a few beers with his buddies while watching sports. He is detached from the wants and needs of his children and solves everything with... "Ask your mother."

The words "You're just like your father" is more of an insult than praise.

You don't gain your children's respect; they simply fear you.

Growing up the world told you that real men don't cry. So you wept in private.

The world called you the "bread winner" so you worked more than you played. "Don't bother your father. He's tired."

The world told you that you had to be strong and set examples even when life was beating the crap out of you.

Then after it is all said and done and you are at the other end of life with fond memories of raising your children, fun times you had, places you took them and the sacrifices made to give them a good life you wonder why they don't come around anymore.

Fathers get ties, shirts, screw drivers, a golf club, a gift card for an oil change, a case of beer, a tool set for the grill, and socks.

When my father died we found never opened shirts and socks and Kmart gift cards.

The truth? All we really want is your time. A hug even if we don't hug well in return or appeared un-hugable all those years.

Your time...an opportunity to tell you about when we were kids even though you heard it a hundred times.

The words, "Thanks, dad. and "I love you." And your time... did I mention...your time?"

Generation after generation all say, "I'm going to raise my kids differently."

So, how's that working out for you?

Happy Father's Day!

"I wish you enough!"J
~ Bob Perks ~

Tribute to Brother John Thomas

So often the things we do seem so small. What we don’t realize, however, is that every single one of them is important in the eyes of God. Do what you can then to make this world a better place. Do what you can to share the love within you. It can be as simple as a prayer. It can be as little as a hug. It can be as tiny as a few coins offered to help another. It can be as small as a kind word, a smile, or a wave. In the eyes of Heaven they are all priceless, they are all powerful, and they are all eternal. In the eyes of God they are all beacons of the light in our souls and the love in our hearts.

Last night I spoke words for the last time over a precious man of God who went home to be with The Lord this week. Unexpectedly his world was turned upside down by cancer within the past year and The Lord chose to take him home. He was my friend, a great husband to his wife, father to his children, and grandfather to his grand kids. He was a man of faith who loved God and his church. So many times in the past 15 months he has been an encouragement to me even in his time of sickness. Every thing I stated in the opening paragraph describes this brother. Every good thing he did made an impression on those around him. I will miss him greatly as will others that knew him.

Brother John Thomas has received his reward. So don't forget  or despise the small things. They do add up in the long run.

Creating Fathers

When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame. A female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping.

And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him childsize, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a father's hands, they were large and sinewy. The angel shook her head sadly and said, "Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on ponytails or even remove splinters caused by sticks used as baseball bats."

And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day, yet small enough to cup a child's face."

And then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do you realize you just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?"

And God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"

And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse or scare off mice at the summer cabin or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."

God worked on, giving the father few words but a firm, authoritive voice and eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"

The angel shutteth up ....

Father's Eyes

Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.

This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.

But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram.

The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in."

Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.

The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard. Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone The coach came to him and said,"Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

Like the athlete's father, God is always there cheering for us. He's always reminding us to go on. He's even offering us His hand for He knows what is best, and is willing to give us what we need and not simply what we want. God has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. Live for HIM for He's watching us in the game of life!

Two Wolves

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way."

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

 

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."(Acts 20:28-31 KJV)

Words of Praise

The secret behind getting through obstacles is pressing your way through with a praise offering.  Praising God is not difficult to do.  It’s simply giving reverence to God Almighty for all He’s done.  This can be done in the form of a dance, song, psalm, musical instrument, hand clap, hum or simply telling God how good and wonderful He is. I enjoy praising God in many different ways, but some do so by simply talking to Him and telling Him thank you. Praising God is not limited to just one particular way.  Just learn how to praise God for what He’s done in your own way.

Isaiah 57:19 says, “I will comfort those who mourn, bringing words of praise to their lips.  May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.” 

I encourage you not only to praise God for the good He’s done but also for the difficult times He’s allowing you to go through as well.  Now before you think I’m crazy let me explain. Realize you serve a God who is majestic and sovereign.  Nothing happening in your life now is ‘news’ or beyond His control.  With that being said, God has given you the end story to the situation you’re faced with.   He’s told you through scripture that all things work together for good to them that love Him in Romans 8:28.

Notice this verse declares, "all things work together for good to them that love God.”  It doesn’t say some things will work out or that it will work out for everyone except you; it says ALL THINGS work together for YOUR good.  Your situation may not be good, but it WILL work out for your good. That’s a reason worth praising God for right there!

In closing, there’s something to learn during the midst of a difficult situation although we don’t always see it that way.  Often it’s during difficult times that we learn to praise God, how to draw near to God, and how to trust God to be a provider. The situation you’re faced with today was tagged with a solution over 2000 years ago before the foundations of the world.  The only thing I encourage you to do is to pray without ceasing, hold steadfast to the Word of God, believe His promises, and to continuously praise God while on your way to victory.

When times are pleasant, praise God!  When times are rough start praising God!  Your deliverance is in your praise!  It’s by praising God with the fruit of your lips you will get through this battle. Now, with that being said give praise to God for the scripture declares in Psalm 150:6, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD."

Seven Things To Remember About What Jesus Taught

1. Jesus always stopped what He was doing to help those in need. He was constantly thronged by people, but He always found time to stop what He was doing at the moment. This is hard for us to do because we are so busy, but it is a lesson we must learn if we are really going to show people we care about them.
2. Jesus always acknowledged the person he was helping. He cared enough to do this. This is a type of how God cares about each of our needs no matter how small when we pray to Him. We must learn to acknowledge others who are hurting and in need of our help so we may be a good example as ambassadors of God's love.
3. Listen to the person who needs help. You won't get very far if you have preconceived ideas about what they need without listening. You will miss the mark of what they really need unless you care enough to listen. This was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn as a hospital chaplain---to listen and care and love that person I am talking to. I am still learning it.
4. Look for needs, voiced and unvoiced. The need the person is bringing to your attention may not be the need that really is driving them. We must care enough to look beyond the obvious as Jesus did in His ministry. Sometimes the person He was helping needed more faith beyond what they already had, but He loved them enough to help them with all of their needs, not just the most apparent ones.
5. Care enough, love that person enough to do something about the need presented. Even if you can't do anything personally, you can help them toward a solution. God does not expect us to meet every need in the world, but He expects us to help those He sends our way.
6. In Luke 8:41-56 Jesus was on the way to help Jairus' need of healing for His daughter. But He encountered another need along the way and helped both the woman and Jairus toward greater faith as a result. The point is that distractions are not always to be considered bad. They seem like a nuisance sometimes but it could be that God has a reason for that distraction to happen. We must be close to Him so we can see His hand in these types of situations.
7. Give God the glory for what you do. In John 7:14-18 Jesus admonishes us to do just that. There are other passages of Scripture that teach this also. If you notice the ministry of Jesus, He always gave His Father the glory for what He did. We must learn from this so we can be good examples of Christ's love.

Do unto others

The Word encourages us to do unto others as you would have done unto you.  In today’s society, this would be the same as saying: treat others the way you want to be treated.  As Christians, I believe we can refer to the life of Jesus as a guide on how we’re to treat others.

When Jesus began His ministry on earth, He didn’t come saying, “I am God, serve me and do as I say.”  When Christ came, one of the many things He showed His disciples (including you and I) was how we’re to treat others.  He forgave sins and past mistakes, showed mercy and grace to those who didn’t deserve it, prayed for and served others, helped the poor, healed the sick, reached out to sinners and so much more.

The New Testament reveals to us through the life of Jesus Christ how we’re to treat others.   As a result, we know Jesus wants us to forgive the mistakes of others because He said unless you forgive others He will not forgive you; we know that Christ wants us to have mercy and grace toward those who may not deserve it; to pray for and serve others, to help the poor, to share the gospel with sinners and etc.

Matthew 5:16 tells us to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”   If you’re treating people with the love of God, people will not only see your good deeds, but they will also see Christ through you and begin praising Him because of the love of God they’ve experienced through youOn the opposite side of the spectrum, if you’re treating people anything less than with the love of God, people will begin to see your evil deeds.  Because Christians are representatives of Christ here on earth, those witnessing and experiencing your evil deeds may begin to have negative thoughts about God.  This is why as Christians, it’s important to examine how we treat people.

How  you treat others is a reflection of your relationship with God.  You cannot have a growing relationship with Christ and continue to treat people everything else but with the love of God. The more you read the word of God and the closer you are to Him, the more compassion, love and respect you should have toward others.

I challenge you today to treat others how you want to be treated and to do it with the love of God.  Just as Christ is compassionate and loving towards you, just as Christ is mercifully and graceful towards you, I encourage you to be the same toward others. As a result, people should see Christ in you and begin reciprocating the same compassion, love and respect you’ve shown them.

Trust Him

It’s easy to say, “give your cares to the Lord and trust Him” when everything in life seems to be going well.  It’s easy to say, “I trust you Lord with everything I own” when bills are paid on time and when you just got a promotion at work.

However, if God striped you of everything you own; If God told you to leave the very job that’s paying your bills, will you trust the Lord enough to do it?  Will you trust God even when you don’t understand; even when life hurts?  If God told you to leave the familiar and enter the unfamiliar, will you trust Him?

For many of you, God has done just that.  He has taken you from what’s “oh so familiar” and redirected your paths into the unfamiliar.  You don’t understand what’s happening in your life; what to do or where to go.  The only thing you know is that the Lord gave you a word (instruction, a promise, vision, etc) and the only thing you have to hold on to is that word.

I understand the feeling; you’re not alone.  There is encouragement for you today.  Here are 4 things to remember whenever you feel as though you don’t understand what God is doing and/or allowing in your life.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Revelation 22:13).

Who else can say that but God?  No one, only God can say such a thing.  God knows everything: the past, current and future and our knowledge and understanding doesn’t even compare to the knowledge and understanding of God –  even when it applies to our own life.

Furthermore, when you don’t understand what God is doing in your life, consider the source – Who is it that you’re trusting; God or yourself?

Here is something to remember.  Man is fallible; we fall short and at times we’re unable to keep our promises.  Man can give you instructions that are misleading and imperfect.  With God, none of these things are possible.  God keeps His promises, God gives you right instructions according to His perfect will and He won’t mislead you.

No matter how much you don’t understand life as it is right now; no matter how uncomfortable it may seem or how hard it gets, don’t give up.  If God is with you -  the same God who spoke life into you, the same God who IS and knows the beginning and the end, the same God who knew you before the foundation of this world -is with you, then ask yourself who or WHAT can stand against you.

Consider the source and seek to be obedient to the Lord, even when you don t understand what God is doing in your life; don’t worry about “this or that” because God has provisions for you.

Can you make music with what you have left?

A classical guitarist is performing a difficult piece in front of a large audience. Suddenly there is a loud noise that reverberates throughout the auditorium. The audience immediately knows that a string has broken and fully expects the concert to be suspended until another string, or instrument, is brought to the musician.

But instead, the guitarist composes himself, closes his eyes and then signals the conductor to begin again. The orchestra resumes where they had left off and now the musician plays the music on five strings. In his mind he works out new fingering to compensate for the missing string. A work that few people can play well on six strings, the guitarist with the broken string plays on five.
When he finishes, an awesome silence hangs in the room. And then as one, the crowd rises to their feet and cheers wildly. The guitarist smiles and wipes perspiration from his brow. When silence returns to the great room, he explains why he continued to play in spite of a broken string. "You know," he says, still breathless, "sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left." I know what he means.

Maybe we've lived most of our lives and we have only a little time left, but the question remains-can we still make music?

-Maybe disease has robbed you of our capacity to work. Can you still make music?
-Maybe a financial loss has left you impoverished. Can you still make music?
-Maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and you feel alone in the world. Can you still make music?

There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like the guitarist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can still make with what we have left? How much good we can still do? How much joy we can still share? For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the music only you can make. And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many will applaud your effort. For some people have lost more than others, and these brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights.

Just how much music can you make with what you have left?