Notice the pennies

A column recently ran in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin about the metaphor of pennies. Many of us, when we see pennies on the ground, ignore them -- after all, doesn't it cost more to make a penny than it's worth?

The author of the column related a story about how his mentor heard from God while waiting at a Taco Bell drive-through window:

'Steve,' it said. 'Open your door. I have a present for you.' Feeling a little silly, he stopped the car and opened his door. Ground into the pavement below was a scarred and tarnished penny. 'Gee . . . thanks .' was the sarcastic thought that went through his head as he dug the practically worthless coin from the soft asphalt. But then God's quiet voice spoke again.

'In the world's eyes, a lot of people in the community you're trying to reach are like this penny. They're flawed, imperfect, and forgotten. Even churches don't see much value in wasting time on them. Through some eyes, they may look shabby and worthless, but to me, they are just like you. They're precious beyond measure!'

This story reminds us how everyone has worth in God's eyes. . .think of that the next time you find a penny on the ground.

We are loved and accepted

Today's society continually is telling us that we're not good enough.

Advertisements compare us to some idealized look, or tell us that we're not complete without the latest gadget. Well, I'm tired of trying to measure up. And I believe that a majority of society feels that way -- look at the popularity of the award-winning Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

What it all comes down to is that we cannot feel good about ourselves if we constantly are comparing ourselves to others. Our self-esteem comes from God, who loves and accepts us unconditionally -- just look at Romans 8:38-39.

God wants us to need Him

Sometimes I feel so needy in my prayers, and I feel guilty for telling God about all of my desires. But as I think about it, I am His son -- and I of course would want my own son to tell me his wants.

A friend was telling me this weekend that God designed us with faults, and that God wants us to need Him. After all, if we did not have faults, needs and things in our lives that we wanted to change, we would not be as reliant on God. And that's what He wants -- us to need Him and rely on Him.

It's time to open our ears

Many people wonder where God is and why they only hear silence when they try to search for him. The Rev. Gary Bonebrake of Main Street Baptist Church in Oneonta, N.Y., offered an excellent suggestion in The Daily Star -- read the Bible.

God is not gone; he is not unconcerned; he is not silent. He has never been silent. God is speaking in the book he inspired and gave to us. As you read the Bible, you are not reading dead words on a page. Listen. If you listen with an open heart, you hear the voice of God -- the voice of God seeking you, calling you. God is not silent; he has never been silent. We have just not been listening.

Let's take time today to focus on the words of the Bible. The Bible points us to the best way to live -- the way of Jesus.

Understanding the California wildfires and other natural disasters

The California wildfires already have caused more than $1 billion in damage and consumed 1,500 homes. An editorial ran in The Christian Science Monitor yesterday from a resident's perspective on how to deal with the wildfires and other natural disasters: prayer.

Perhaps the best answer any of us can come up with is: We can pray! I don't pretend that my prayers alone are going to stop the fires in their tracks. As the brave firefighters and rescue teams work to contain the blazes, many individuals are praying in their churches, mosques, and synagogues – or, like me, at home – affirming the presence and wisdom of one universal God. And I've learned through a long study of the Bible and of 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' written by Mary Baker Eddy, the woman who founded this newspaper, that prayer is truly 'doing something.' Prayer can lead to practical solutions.

I hope that God helps the affected residents through this time and that they hear his "still small voice".

I'm glad that I'm not super rich!

It's so easy in our American society to get wrapped up in having the most expensive this and the most expensive that. Madison Avenue would have us believe that our self-worth is based upon the number and quality of toys that we have. Jonathan Clements of The Wall Street Journal wrote an excellent column on why "great wealth is overrated":

We all tend to sit up and take notice when we come across people with fancy titles, hefty incomes and immense riches. Yet these aren't signs of genius or virtue. Want proof? All it takes is two words: Paris Hilton.

As I get older, I'm getting less impressed with material goods. Clements also notes that all is not as it seems when it comes to wealth:

Displays of wealth can also be misleading. Folks can appear wealthy -- but the mansion may be fully mortgaged, the cars might be leased and the landscaper may still be awaiting payment. Even if you come across somebody who can easily afford the trappings of wealth, the trappings themselves are not a sign of wealth, but of wealth that has been spent. The money lavished on the cars, homes and jewelry is now gone.

I know that my self-worth does not come from earthly possessions, but from the treasures of God and heaven, and that God loves me just the way that I am. I just need to continually focus on that in the face of all the advertising.

Slow down and focus, part II

Tom Henderson shared an interesting tip on how to study scripture in response to yesterday's post:

I listened to a two-part series last week from the program Grace to You about how to study scripture. One recommendation that John MacArthur had was to find a short book of the Bible (he suggested 1 John) and read it in one sitting. The next day, read it again. Read it every day for a month. Feel free to make notes or marks in the margin. As your eyes see it again and again on a consistent basis, especially if you read it in the same Bible, your recall and absorption will improve.

He then suggested following it up with a longer book, broken up in to parts of a few chapters each month. Then, alternate longer books with shorter books.

I think as soon as I get my primary Bible back (I left it at my mother's church over vacation), I'm going to try this.

Thanks, Tom. It's really exciting when the words of the Bible come alive in our hearts, and tips on getting there are very appreciated!

Slow down and focus

In today's hurried world, we often become hurried Christians. To know God's word, it's important to slow down and not get constantly caught up in the world's quest for ever-increasing speed.

Keri Wyatt Kent addressed three ways to "breathe life into your conversations with God" in Today's Christian Woman:

• Deep Listening
• Breath Prayer
• Being There

Reading the Bible shouldn't be a daily task to check off of our to do list; it should have meaning and importance. And the best way to get that is to slow down and focus.

Take it to God

It's interesting that often the most painful situations occur in our close relationships. People are human, and people always let us down.

I know in my case I often expect only the ultimate in kindness in my close relationships -- which is very unrealistic. Too often I have hinged my self-esteem on what others think of me. This is totally wrong; my self-esteem comes from God. And I know that, but I keep falling into the traps of this world.

Jane Johnson Struck recently posted on Today's Christian Woman Editors' Blog about people hurting her in close relationships. The solution, instead of responding in anger, is to take it to God and respond in truth with love.

God as a public relations firm?

God has given each of us special abilities, and He wants us to use those abilities for His good. But in the battle between good and evil, the devil always will try to keep us from moving forward. Joyce Meyer recently wrote in The Christian Post about a time early on in her ministry when she was leading small groups in California. She wanted the word of her ministry to spread by hiring a public relations firm, but in the end it was not for her:

This wasn’t the right way. This was only a cheap imitation of what God wanted to do in my life and in my ministry. I wanted to take the firm’s offer but I turned them down.

I still remember lying on my bed in that California hotel room crying. I was desperate to move ahead in my ministry, but it seemed like I was bogged down, unable to move at all. God spoke to me in that weak moment and told me that if I would wait on Him, He would be my public relations firm; He would be the One who would make sure His name was known through the growth of the ministry He had called me to. God is faithful! He has done what He promised He would do.

I'm not sure if He's a member of Public Relations Society of America, but I would be happy to have God handling my public relations.

From Crip to Christ

Drew Cotton of Cincinnati used to be a Los Angeles gang member with the Crips -- until a bullet changed his direction.

Cotton was watching a boxing match on TV with people who he thought were his friends. When Cotton went closer to the TV, one of the men shot him in the back of the head with a .22.

The bullet went through his neck, grazed his spine and finally stopped below his right eye. Cotton told the Cincinnati Enquirer what happened after that:

Cotton knows how lucky he is - how close he came to being killed or disabled. While he lay in a hospital bed, 'I wept like a baby for two days, repenting and thanking the Lord for saving my life,' he said.

And God spoke to his spirit, he said. 'He said very clearly, 'Surrender your life back to me and I'll show you who your true friends are. I will make your body better than it was before.'

All that happened. Cotton found friends and recovery at the Lord's Gym in Over-the-Rhine. He's gone from gangbanger to working man, from homeless to his own apartment, from thug to anti-crime counselor, from Crip to Christ.

'I could have had hate for the guy who shot me, but God imparted his love to me. That's not of my doing.'

Cotton now approaches young thugs on the streets to tell them about the alternatives to being killed or in prison forever.

How to beat the economic slump

Americans are having a difficult time financially these days. You wouldn't know it by the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which keeps hitting new highs. But we know it by the sagging retail sales, by foreclosures on homes, by the subprime problem, by people who took out adjustable rate mortgages that they couldn't afford.

Edwin Louis Cole wrote a column in 2001 about what he thought was necessary to beating an economic slump: God. Cole encourages us to slow down, listen to God, and "only fight the battles God has given you to win."

Cole also recommends that we reach out to others who have been in difficult situations before for help. I think Cole's plan pretty much sums up God's plan for successful lives -- depend on God, and depend on each other.

Inviting Christ into our hearts

I just finished reading My Heart--Christ's Home by Robert Boyd Munger. This is a touching book in which the author, who served as professor of evangelism and church strategy at Fuller Theological Seminary, recounts his story of inviting Christ into his heart. He writes about how Christ explored the various rooms of his home, mind and heart, including:

• The Study
• The Dining Room
• The Living Room
• The Workroom
• The Rec Room
• The Bedroom
• The Hall Closet

It's a touching story that makes the reader feel vulnerable and think about the areas of our lives that we should bring out into the open with Christ. In the end of My Heart--Christ's Home, Munger writes about "transferring the title" of our life to Christ and the joy that it ultimately brings. As humans, we often feel that we can be independent. What we really need is Christ to be in charge of our lives.

God keeps His word

Grant Swank recently wrote an interesting column on the Renew America Web site about how he was searching very hard for God in the tenth grade, but couldn't seem to hear from Him:

I wondered why I had to try so hard to know God in His fullness.

Then I thought back to some of those saints' testimonies. They were glorious. They related how God was especially close — there in front of them, behind them, inside them.

Why was it so difficult for me to come upon that same real awareness?

Then it was that God spoke to me within my heart. It was without doubt that God said to me: 'I was with you the first night you sought me. Do you not remember? I was there in that family room. You knew my peace and power in a very special way.'

It was true. Immediately, I recalled how the room that first night seemed to fill with His holiness. There was a splendor in that space which had come from without. It had to have been the Lord Himself.

It then dawned upon me that I had been seeking others' experiences rather than allowing God to be personal with me.

That relates to the focal point of this blog: we can have a personal relationship with Christ. He meets us where we are, in the manner that is most appropriate and unique to us. I'm sure that many readers of this blog have had personal experiences with Christ. How does God relate to you? Share your story with others by clicking on the comments link under this post!

P.S. I have decided to start selling a lot of my stuff. There is a link on the left-hand side of the page to my current eBay auctions.

From a broken neck to recovery in California

We take for granted our ability to walk. Imagine having to learn your first steps again because of a broken neck, back or spinal cord injury. For some with spinal cord injuries, Project Walk in Carlsbad, Calif., has provided the alternative healing necessary to walk again. That was the case for John Pou, who told his story to the North County Times:

'I don't walk -- not yet,' said John Pou, 38, who broke his neck diving over a wave off the coast of North Carolina in August 2005 and relocated with his family to North County last year to receive treatment at Project Walk.

'I definitely have made progress. When I first got here, I could barely balance in a wheelchair,' Pou said, motioning toward his legs and adding, 'I'm working on the lower half now.'

Pou's wife, Marci, said that she found Project Walk while researching recovery options for those who have suffered spinal cord injuries.

'I was reading an article in a magazine on alternative methods for healing' that mentioned the project, she said. 'I felt like God spoke to me -- this was the place.'

Project Walk also has centers in Portland, Ore., and Boston. The unique method of recovery taught at Project Walk has found success because of its focus on how to overcome rather than on how to cope.

God sobers up a rocker through his son

From the Toledo Blade: Toledo-based rocker Johnny Cappelletty was in a band (Damien) that had videos on MTV and two albums that sold worldwide, but he didn't have God. Until his son said something when Cappelletty ran a red light:

Mr. Cappelletty said his wife had left him and he was driving through Toledo with J.P. [his 8-year-old son] when he ran a red light at Lewis Avenue and Alexis Road.

His son looked up and said, 'Dad, what would ever happen if you went away like Mom?'

'I knew what he was saying — what if I got locked up?' Mr. Cappelletty said. 'God spoke to me through my son. An 8-year-old kid could see the way I was living and I couldn’t see it. That was Oct. 6, 2002, and I’ve been sober ever since.'

About two years into his sobriety, Mr. Cappelletty began looking for a church.

Cappelletty found a church called CedarCreek and in Dec. 2005 formed the Christian rock band Keys2Eden.

A moratorium on personal spending

Thanks to Tom Henderson, who commented on yesterday's post, "An overattachment to the things of this world." Tom wrote:

Amen to that. I've been convicted lately of my collecting ways (video games and music, but primarily games). It's been primarily difficult to stop buying XBox games. The original XBox games are now being marked down drastically to make room for newer titles, so it's easy to walk out of a store with two or three games for $10 or less. As a result, I'm sure that I have 20 titles at home that I've either not played at all, or barely touched.

I've been contemplating imposing a 2- or 3-month moratorium on personal spending. I will draw up a covenant describing what I am allowed to spend money on (food, stuff for work, stuff for ministry, personal care items, etc.) and what will be off-limits (games, books, DVDs, etc. that are just for me).

Anybody else interested in joining me in this?

Tom, I might be interested in joining you. I'll consider it. . .a two-month covenant would take us through the end of the year, which might make a nice end to 2007.

An overattachment to the things of this world

In our culture, it's really difficult not to be a collector. We are bombarded with messages that say we're not good enough unless we have all of everything. Even the catchphrase for Pokemon is "Catch 'em all." Talk about a marketing ploy!

Well, as a child I found security in collecting things ever since my parents got divorced. As a result, I have a lot of things -- way too many things. These things have bogged me down, having to pack them up and transport them every time I moved. And I'm not a child anymore.

Now I'm realizing that God does not really want me to be so attached to the things of this world, but I'm not sure what to do with it all. (And it's kind of scary seeing my security blanket go away, but I know it's the right thing to do.)

I'm looking to God for guidance at to what to do with all of my stuff.

As it is, right now I'm purchasing Jars of Clay albums from iTunes. At least they're not taking up space in my house.

Christ-like empathy

I'm selfish with my emotions. I don't have empathy for people. It's not that I don't want to. It's just that emotions do not come to the surface when relating to other people. The only exception is when I see children in pain.

My theory is that because my parents got divorced when I was 4, my empathetic emotional growth was cut off at that point. But that's no excuse. Matthew 22:36-40 says to "Love your neighbor as yourself."

I need to stop disliking myself first; then my neighbors would benefit too. My 6-year-old son has a lot more empathy that I do. I could take a lesson from him. I'm going to smile in my interactions with people today -- remember to smile -- that, and remembering that everyone is a part of His creation, might get me to Christ-like empathy.

God's answer to depression

Depression can be crippling, making people lose their excitement for life or will to do anything. I was on Prozac for years to help with my depression, but finally my wife (and God) helped me to get off of it. I feel better -- and more myself -- without Prozac.

Some antidepressants can cause people to behave violently or have suicidal thoughts, as was the case with Zyprexa's effect on Kendall Lewis:

'My wife and I had a fight. I got into the car and I started speeding; I remember crying uncontrollably and felt my life was over; I wanted to crash the car and die. But I have always gone to church — if it wasn't for God and if I had continued with Zyprexa, I would have been dead soon after that day. I woke up one morning in prayer, asking God what was wrong with me. I felt that God spoke to me and that I didn't have clinical depression — he told me to throw the pills away and come back to church to serve him. When I opened the bible I read the scripture about oppression: I had spiritual oppression, not clinical depression.'

There can be a lot of pain in life, and evil forces want to cause problems at every turn. The one sure rock that we can rely on to take us through it all is Jesus Christ.

The voice of God in Belarus

Judy Dennis of New Bern, N.C., for the longest time felt a calling to work with special-needs people. But she ended up working in retail -- until 1988, when she became an interim special-needs teacher at a local elementary school. That led to a full-time position, she told the Sun Journal, and she taught special-needs children for seven years until retiring -- or so she thought:

'I experienced burnout like many people do in jobs,' Dennis said. 'The children needing shoes tied, little tables and my arthritis didn’t go well together.'

She went on a mission trip to Belarus this March, where she visited orphanages and schools. She worked with children from 4 to 13 years old. It reminded her of American children with special needs.

'While on the trip, God spoke to me and said I wasn’t through with special-needs kids,' she said. 'He wants me to do something more with children.'

Dennis now is looking at starting a special-needs ministry for children at her church.

It's hard for me to believe Oral Roberts and his son

Televangelists love to talk about how "God spoke to me about this" or "God told me to do that." Frankly, I find it really hard to believe them, even though I firmly believe that God guides us and speaks to us.

In 1987, Oral Roberts said that God told him to raise $8 million for his university, or else he would be "called home."

Now his son, Richard Roberts, president and chief executive officer of Oral Roberts University, has had a lawsuit filed against him and the school for alleged improprieties.

Richard Roberts said that God spoke to him and told him to say that the suit was about "blackmail and extortion." Puh-leeze.

Combining exercise with church

Imagine a workout facility with only positive attitudes, no vulgar language, and no revealing outfits. Such a place now exists in Fairfield Beach, Ohio, where non-denominational church The Gathering has built a public gym on its campus.

The church's pastor, Tom Gill, has spent more than 30 years as a physical fitness expert, training models, athletes and more. Gill told The Buckeye Lake Beacon the story behind the gym:

When Gill initially had the idea for the gym, he knew he was on the right track when another pastor donated some strength training equipment to Gill's cause. 'God spoke to me about this,' he said. The equipment just needed some elbow grease to look like new. With the addition of a few more pieces of equipment, it was only a matter of days before the gym, which officially opens Oct. 8, was fully outfitted.

Talk about making efficient use of one's time! Maybe they have theme days like "Strength Training Sunday". . .

God guides my career

Near the end of my high school years, my dad was laid off from his job in the corporate real estate department of a national bookseller. I knew that he had worked very hard at his job, but he was out due to budget cuts. That really scared me -- it showed me that other people can be in control of your career.

Well, God knows my fears about job cuts and layoffs. As a result, I put my faith in Him, and He has been faithful in guiding my career. Take a look at His faithfulness:

• After working for nine years at a music retailer, I got the feeling that it was time to move on. He provided a job for me at another firm. About nine months later (in late 2000), the music retailer that I worked for was acquired by a Fortune 500 retail company, and many layoffs ensued.
• I worked at the other firm for two years, from 2000-2002. Layoffs hit that firm because of the recession. I survived three rounds of layoffs, and then God provided me with a job at a legal services company.
• My job at the legal services company lasted three years. For most of that time, I had a boss who was a nightmare -- one of those "bully bosses". My former supervisor at the firm that I worked at from 2000-2002 had moved on to a financial services organization. He called to see if I was interested in a position at his workplace. I was -- and I have worked for that financial services organization since 2005.

I have had tremendous faith in God with my career. He has helped me to survive nasty acquistions, layoffs and a bully boss. I am so thankful for His faithfulness and will enjoy seeing the doors that He opens for me in the future!

Choosing preaching over a pop music career

Reverend Dr. Paul Lewis grew up in Jamaica, with a heart dedicated to God. By the age of six, he was spreading the gospel and had the nickname the "barefoot preacher".

Today he is the founder and president of Messengers for Christ Ministries World Healing Center. But according to the Nation News (Barbados), Lewis had to make a challenging choice about his career:

At age 16 he was offered a contract to earn $2.5 million if he would sing pop music for five years. However, he said he was stopped in his tracks after God spoke to him and told him his life was already contracted out to Him. Today, Lewis is an accomplished gospel singer with 25 albums to his name.

What a choice! Lewis' ministry now has a $2 million, 1,500-seat church open in New York.

A $1.2 million "bling-bling" funeral?

I know that having a funeral can be expensive, but apparently one funeral operator in Jamaica has taken it to the extreme. Tommy Thompson, chief executive officer of Brite Lite Funeral Services, offers funerals that celebrate a person's passing with:

• bumper stickers
• colored T-shirts
• buttons
• helium balloons
• glass coffins
• chariots
• stretch limousines

The last three items are part of his "bling-bling" funeral, which costs $1.2 million. Thompson explained his reasoning to the Jamaica Gleaner:

'I was in Miami thinking about everything in my life, when God spoke to me, saying that death was to be celebrated. As a man of Christian faith, I took the message very seriously,' he claimed.

Thompson is said to have revolutionized the funeral industry in Jamaica.

From depression to ministry

From The Enterprise Ledger in Alabama: Tom Moates spent 40 years doing coaching, teaching and school administrative work. After retiring in August 2004, he spent the next year in a deep depression. . .until God spoke to him:

In 2005, God told me to get off my back-end and that He and I together would form a ministry using me as a speaker. As I drove through Enterprise one beautiful day I received a picture in the mail of a beautiful rainbow. This rainbow reminded me of the beauty in the sunrise I saw when God spoke to me about my seriously-injured son. He gave me peace then as I looked out the emergency room window. My son had just been in a terrible accident and God spoke to me of peace.

Moates' son, Pat, had to learn how to walk and talk again, but recovered and eventually graduated from Auburn University. And Tom Moates exited depression to form the "Beyond the Cross" ministry with God.