The bag of potatoes that I bought had one rotten potato.  Having heard the old analogy about ‘one bad spoils the whole basket’, I decided to do an experiment.   

Over the next several weeks, I made numerous observations.  The analogy was true, when a rotten potato was placed against a good potato, in time; the good veggie started developing rot.   

Interestingly, when the good potato was washed and dried everyday the good spud did not develop the rot!

Although, only with daily washing did the good potato continue to be good.  However, being with the good potato still didn’t make the bad spud change. 

If we make worldly people our companions, we can be influenced by their worldly ways.  It is much easier for a Christian to take on the characteristics of the world than for the world to take on the attributes of Christ.   

Whenever we fellowship with an unsaved friend, we need to make note of where we are in Christ. With daily washing in the water of the Word and the scrubbing of our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we can maintain our walk with our Lord.  But, only if we are diligent with the things of God.  

Simply being with a Christian doesn’t make a sinner a Christian. The only way the friend will be saved is to become born again as a new creation.  (II Corinthians 5:17)  If we find ourselves spending less time in prayer/Bible study and finding reasons to miss church, we need to step away from our “friend”. 

Should my friend resist my efforts to be led to Christ; it is better to lose my friend than to lose my relationship with Jesus.  Scripture confirms the influence that friends can have on our lives. (Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.)     

It’s important that I be truthful with my self as I look at my friendships.  The influence of a friend can influence my relationship with Jesus. We  should guard our heart and be consistent in Bible study and prayer. There is a difference between being a witness for Christ and being friends with the world.   

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Children’s ministry is one of the most rewarding areas of ministry there is. 

It’s also one of the most demanding and the least recognized.   

Pastoring Kids is humbling:  imagine being the “pastor” and brother Jones, on the back row, stood up during prayer and proclaimed,  “I’m bored—can we have snack now?“

Imagine standing in front of  adult church and Sister Sally, on the front row, jumped up every time you made a statement, waved her hand wildly and said, “Whyyyyy?”  

Kid’s Church is hard work, lots of prayer, lots of planning and sometimes—it takes you to the very edge of what your heart can handle. Teaching Kid’s Church isn’t babysitting.  It requires serious preparation and planning. 

Then, there’s the prayer—-serious, on your face prayer.  Pastoring Kid’s Church is a special calling. Often, Youth Pastors become senior Pastors; but, being a Kid’s Pastor is usually a lifetime commitment.

Support your Kid’s Church; contribute specifically to their ministry on a regular basis.  Ask if there is anything you can do to help and always; cover them with prayer.  

Tell the Kid’s Pastor you appreciate the long hours of study and ministry that goes into lesson preparation.  Most Kid’s Pastors have full time regular jobs. Planning and preparation for Kid’s Church ministry is  done after a 40 hour or more secular work week.  

Don’t just drop your kids off and pick them up at the door; take a moment to say ‘thank you for loving my kids to Jesus’.  

Luke 18:16  But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

In my garden, amidst the flowers, are weeds. They look a lot like my flowers.   

Even though I don’t make any great effort to water or feed them, they do fine.  In fact, sometimes, it seems they even have less disease and pests than the flowers!   

I love how God’s Word uses every day things to explain spiritual truth! God uses wheat and tares, both similar in appearance, to illustrate that people without Christ can and do prosper.  

He created everything for “us” to enjoy.  It is a personal choice whether ‘we’ serve God or not; we all are subject to the blessings and the sufferings that are a part of life. 

There are people who  have no interest in the things of God, yet, their life is great. Be reminded that they also suffer as we do, but satan only points out their blessings, not their trials to us. In this life, there will be both blessing and struggle whether we serve Christ or not. (John 16:33) 

God knows that it’s hard to understand why families who do not include Christ in their lives often experience the same victories as Christian homes do. (Malachi 3:13-15) 

Satan is always ready to point the ‘blessings of godlessness’ out to us. He tells us ‘they’ go to the lake on Sunday morning while we go to church. With haughty words, satan points out that “they” have money to play when we struggle to write out our tithe check.  

Being Christian is about a relationship we have with Christ. No other god wants a relationship with us. Living without God is living as an orphan. 

God does bless His children and He loves it when we realize it is Him that sends good things into our lives.  Those living without Christ often benefit from the good things God created for His children; but the surface blessings are all they have.  

As with the wheat and the tares; there will come a day when both saint and sinner stands before the Lord.  On that day there will be a great difference between those that serve God and those who don’t.  

(Matthew 13:30) Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’

Iron Chef America is one of my favorite television shows.

During each episode, two chefs compete using a secret ingredient.  

Most often as not, the secret ingredient is ordinary; fish, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes or citrus fruit.  However, what is created from these ordinary foods is magnificent!  

It isn’t the complexity of the ingredients that makes the dishes special; it’s the expertise, talent and abilities of the master chef.  The chef knows exactly what methods to use and what spices to combine to create magnificent dishes out of ordinary foods. 

The same principle applies to our lives. We are ordinary people with incredible potential in the masterful hands of an almighty God. With unimaginable knowledge, our Lord combines life experiences to create leaders, teachers, ministers, missionaries and evangelists. 

How do we ‘become’ what God has intended us to be; by yielding ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in our daily circumstances. The Word says all things work together for our good—according to His plan. (Romans 8:28)  

When we realize our potential through Christ, we understand that God can use us to do great things.  It’s not about what we can do, it’s about what God chooses to do with us. God uses common people, like you and me, in combination with all the ‘ingredients’ of life; to make something magnificent!

I Corinthians 1:26-31 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Is it mid January, already? Mercy sakes! Guess it’s time to renew my annual commitment to lose 50 pounds.

However, in theory, I actually met and surpassed that goal last year because I did lose 55 pounds.

The problem is; I lost the same 5 pounds, again and again.  My commitment wears thin as the real goal continues to be out of my reach.  This year HAS to be different.

I can’t do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. Fifty pounds seemed a reasonable weight loss goal to spread over a year, so, instead of adjusting my goal, last year, I decided to change my approach. Once more invigorated by the prospect of a thinner me; I bought a gym membership.

Quickly, I discovered that more commitment was required than simply signing on the dotted line.   My head held high in determination, I disciplined myself to a rigorous regimen of exercise.  Nothing, absolutely nothing was allowed to deter me from my commitment.

Reviewing my accomplishments after a few months of daily trips to the gym; I discovered that the only thing I’d lost was thirty five dollars a month. Not the goal I’d hoped for, but certainly proof I did have some level of discipline.  

Trying not to be discouraged, this year, I think that perhaps it is my goal that needs to be over hauled.  Instead of struggling for perfection through strict discipline and unyielding commitment to a plan, perhaps I need to simplify; eat less, exercise more. A lifetime committment instead of a momentary goal; I think this plan will work.

Sometimes, my goal to serve God can get as bogged down as my weight loss plan. It’s so easy to commit myself to what I THINK God wants for my life. God has a plan; however, not necessarily the same plan that I have.  The question is, am I committed to what I’m doing or surrendered to God’s perfect will? 

There are times in both Old (Judges 14:1-4) and New Testaments when God’s plan wasn’t exactly what everybody expected. Even the disciples thought that Jesus had come to free them from Roman rule and be their King (Acts 1:6). Jesus had other plans. (John 6:15, John 18:36)  

The Apostle Paul had plans to preach in Asia.  Instead, Acts 16:6-10 reveals that he was directed, by the Spirit, to Macedonia to preach the Gospel.  An important part of ministry is planning, but God’s plan is preeminent.   

God uses ordinary people to do His will, people like you and me. It is important to remember that God is sovereign! When I serve God with all of my heart, I sign my name on the bottom line and tell God to fill in the contract.  Not commitment to a goal; but a total life time surrender to God’s will.

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.

The storm outside was spectacular; thunder, lightning, pounding rain and strong wind.

My four year old daughter, Boo, and I were playing with Barbies on the living room floor, trying to ignore the tempest outside.

I knew that if I could keep us both distracted, the commotion outside wouldn’t be so frightening. So far, my plan was working.

It sounded like a bomb went off as a lightning bolt struck and the ensuing thunder crashed, taking the power out!  With a startled yell, Boo jumped into my lap, terrified!

With a “mommy’s right here” tone of voice, I tried, unsuccessfully, to distract her from the noise outside. She was just too scared; her fear made my efforts futile.

As she sat trembling on my lap, the thunder resounding again and again around us, I took her face tenderly in my hands and said, “Look at ME!” Boo turned her eyes to mine and I began to sing Sunday school songs to her. 

Her child voice wavered at first, but as we sang, “This Little Light of Mine” and “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”, her voice grew stronger and she stopped shaking. The storm was still raging around us, but we sat, focused on each other; singing our Jesus songs.

Now, a life time later, Boo grown and married, I sat alone, terrified as the storm that had consumed my life crashed around me. Shaking, I leaned against the wall as emotional pain swept over me, sucking the air out of me with gale force winds. Trying to calm my insides down was like trying to nail jello to a piece of foam board.  

I forced myself to focus on II Corinthians 12:10 “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  Shaking my head in agreement, my thoughts tried to focus on God’s provision, His strength instead of my obvious fragility.

It was like satan had singled me out as his pet project.  Every time I felt like I was getting back on my feet; another crushing blow hit. Too shaken and frightened to think clearly, I began to comfort myself with the familiar songs from childhood.

This Little Light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, I won’t LET satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine!  Jesus loves me YES I know, for the Bible tells me so; little ones to him belong, they are weak but HE is strong. 

Bracing myself, I focus on what my heart knows to be true instead of what my eyeballs keep seeing.  I love you, oh Lord, my strength. I CHOOSE to look at you and walk boldly on.

Psalms 27:8  When You said, “Seek My face,”  My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

Yesterday, David’s Psalm 136 caught my eye.  What makes this Psalm different than all the others is that every other line is, “his mercy endures forever’.  

Why did David repeat the same line–to the point of making it a paean?   As ever, I ask God to show me the truth in His Word. Even this repetitive line must have some root in reason? 

Today, as I engage in my daily routine, I find myself consumed with care for my loved ones, the church and the world.  As I work, play, rest and sleep, I find my heart’s prayer a reminder of whose I am. 

My friends and loved ones need Jesus; I’ve wearied them with my constant witness. They turn and hide when they see me coming. My voice is like fingers grating on a black board to their ears. I love you, my Lord; I trust you and I will see your salvation.

The economy is shaking.  My dollars pay for less and less. The cost of living escalates day by day. A loaf of bread and a gallon of milk costs more than a week’s groceries did when I was a child. My job is uncertain; I don’t know if there will be a pay check next week. I love you, my Lord; I trust you and am eager to see your provision.

The government is corrupt; officials mock the name of my King and belittle his son, Jesus Christ. Those who praise you openly and give thanks are ridiculed and mocked.  It is against the rules to carry your precious Holy Word into our work place, our schools. I love you, my Lord; I trust you and am eager to see your Kingdom come.

The fools who do not know you predict the end of time will be soon. The calendar of the ancient ones ends leaving those of weak faith to declare there is no future. Earthquakes and great storms ravage the countryside; who knows what will happen next?  I love you, my Lord; I trust you and am eager to be surrounded by your protection.

How can I doubt your strength when I look into your face and see the fire in your eyes?  The world crumbles, the economy shakes, the people rebel, yet I will not be afraid because you are my Lord and I will keep my eyes on you and you alone. I love you, my Lord; I trust you and am eager to be consumed by your peace.

Tears streaming down my face, I can do nothing but worship. The concerns of life, the fears of the day, the worrisome sounds of rebellion against your name weary my ears. But, my heart rejoices because I know YOU. My hands must lift in praise because you have shown yourself victorious through the ages and continue to be the victor even in the present age. I love you, my Lord; I trust you and am eager to be consumed by your praise.

King David was just as we are today—sure; he wore different clothes, walked on different streets, but his strength, resources and protection were provided by his God.  Shouldn’t my heart also be consumed with the acknowledgement of my Lord’s presence?  Indeed, from this moment on; it will be.

Psalms 136: 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
                                  His love endures forever.

What does it take to be a Youth Pastor? Humility and a good sense of humor are mandatory.

Many a Youth Pastor has had to shave their head, eat crazy things, kiss a pig, had a pie in their face or “got a dunking” in a vat of cold water to raise money for youth room equipment.  

Commitment to ministry and a deep love for teens are also required. As is appropriate for every Christian, the Youth Pastor’s life must be lived as an example (James 1:19-21). The burden of Youth Ministry keeps the Pastor on his face. Literally hours are spent in prayer; seeking daily direction and wisdom. 

The Youth Pastor listens, prays, gives wise counsel and supports right choices.  Youth Ministry isn’t just about games and social gatherings.  It’s even more than teaching teens God’s Word!  It’s about teaching kid’s how to apply God’s word to everyday life situations (Psalms 119:105; II Timothy 3:16).  

Our teens face challenges today that many parents can’t even imagine! Movies, music and top rated television programs show ungodly lifestyles and irresponsible behavior as ‘normal’.  

Teens need spiritual truth that can be applied to the life decisions they must deal with every day. As David said in Psalms 25:5, “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior; and my hope is in you all day long.”   

Statistics show that the church is losing our youth between middle school and college. According to America’s Research Group’s survey, only 55 percent of children who went to church regularly continue to be churched during high school. And by college, only 11 percent were still attending church.  

Statistics alone illustrate the need for an evangelical youth leader that is devoted to prayer and ministry! Satan has the youth Pastor’s name written at the top of his ‘project’ planner; I  need to make sure that I have it at the top of my prayer list!

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior; and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5

The guy across the street repainted the fence around his house. 

The old wood was splintered and needed to be sanded down and some of the pieces replaced. 

But, he just applied putty and new paint.  The fence looked new; but in time, the decay again came to the surface. 

In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus talked about the difference between “repainting” and removing the decay. The tombs that Jesus spoke of were whitewashed regularly and always looked fresh and clean to the people walking by. However, no matter how many times the tombs were painted, they were still tombs filled with dead bones.  

As a Christian, it can seem easier to clean up the outside than allow the Holy Spirit to do His redeeming work on the inside.  I put my ‘happy face’ on and go to church. I sing the praise songs and look all shiny new.  But, on the inside, I still harbor bitterness, jealousy and anger. My attitudes and worldly ambitions haven’t changed. 

When Jesus came into my life, it wasn’t just to make me ‘look good’ on the outside.  It is His desire to change me from the inside out so that whether rich or poor, I live the abundant life. (I John 10:10) 

God is far more interested in having a relationship with me than He is in how I ‘look’ to the people at church. (I Samuel 16:7) The purpose of asking Jesus into my heart is so that He can forgive me of my sins so I can have relationship with Him.  

A part of that relationship is showing me how to realign my priorities and attitudes so those sins that tormented me and separated me from His love and mercy no longer have a place in my heart. (Philippians 4:8-9) 

In order to bring about that inward change; God sends His Holy Spirit to first, convict me of sin (John 16:7-11), then, to show me how to live to please Him (Galatians 5: 16 and 22-24).  

It’s important for me to remember that God does not make me do anything; nor does God’s Word force me to change! Bible study, prayer and going to church give me the tools for change, but I must do the things necessary to change my attitudes, friendships, goals and priorities.  

James 1:23-25  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

As I sat in the break room one day at work; my eyes fell on a poster on the wall over the lunch table.  The picture on the poster depicted two women facing each other, obviously arguing. Beneath the photo of the arguing girls, was a printed dialogue. “Trouble in your work place?  Feel like nobody listens to you? Perhaps medication is the answer.”  

I marveled at how progressive our company was, wondering what kind of medication they had in mind that would stop the fussing between employees. About that time, the store manager walked in and I asked her what kind of medications the store offered as intervention in a dispute.   

She looked at me, totally blank. Turning, I pointed to the printed dialogue on the poster and read it to her.  She laughed till she had to sit down! After she had recovered herself, she showed me the word was not ‘medication’, it was ‘mediation’!   

It’s easy to laugh, but we can do the same thing to God’s Word.  Many silly doctrines can come about because somebody failed to go back and read a scripture with understanding and common sense. When we study God’s Word, we should study it prayerfully; asking the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and our hearts to receive knowledge.   

Use a concordance to cross reference words that are unfamiliar so they can be read in other contexts. This will give you insight to whether the word means something else as well as the meaning you know. Make sure you read the chapter before and after the verse so you’ll understand what was going on when the verse was originally penned.  

Read God’s Word. Read it for knowledge, read it for direction, read it often and always with prayer.  But above all else, read it with your thinking cap ON! 

(II Timothy 2:15)  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.