Good Samaritan United Methodist - Tallahassee, Florida

Fat Cats (September 1, 2010) by Jim Crosby

For me I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness these fat cats have everything they could ever wish for...for me how good it is to be near God. Psalm 73: 1-3, 7, 28a

Fat Cats! Yes, that's what the Psalmist actually called them. Pretty jazzy talk for ancient times wouldn't you say? OK, so who was he talking about? Obviously this was derogatory terminology so why was he so upset?

Well, actually I think Asaph, the leader of one of the temple choirs who wrote this Psalm, was expressing the same feelings of dismay we often struggle with. Why do the bad guys seem to be winning? Haven't you felt that way?

You do your best to obey the rules, work hard and you are a good person but, it's tough. Bills threaten to overwhelm you. Someone goes behind your back and gets a promotion you deserve. You work hard, planning, researching, putting in long hours to make a sale and the client doesn't buy. While in the next cubicle another salesperson's phone rings, they pick it up and get a big "call-in" sale.

All of those are real-life situations that can occur. Life ain't fair. It's a rat race and the rats are winning except where the fat cats are eating them up. So, just who are these fat cats?

Well, they are the people who are living just how they want to. They don't even try to be righteous. They focus on themselves and their wealth seems to sustain them. The Chronological Study Bible talks about where this "fat cat" notion is derived in the culture of the times.

"Standards of physical beauty have a natural and a social component. In many cultures fat is praised, presumably because it is a sign of wealth to have enough to eat. The Psalm writer's judgment concerning prosperity is influenced by moral considerations of the pride, arrogance, and cruelty that wealth seems to encourage."

There can be a certain swagger that comes with wealth. It's easy to make demands when you have the money to back them up. Or perhaps there are brag-inducing features some folks possess like intellect, beauty, musical or artistic talents, voice appeal, etc. God has certainly gifted some folks to a greater degree than others--- or has He?

Maybe it's all about how these gifts and talents are used. A wealthy person can certainly be a righteous person as well. A poor person can still be influential by using artistic talents or just being a good person and not letting envy or jealousy consume their thinking. It really doesn't matter what walk of life you are in, it's where you walk and what you do when you arrive.

TLB points out two strong themes that dominate Psalm 73. 1) The wicked prosper, leaving godly people wonder why they bother to be good. 2) The wealth of the wicked looks so inviting that faithful people may wish they could trade places.

Now, I have to stop and think. Have I ever been envious of people who have lots of money. Yes! Would I like to have bunches of money. You betcha! But, you know, I have encountered some well-to-do folks who were the most arrogant, snobbish people on earth. I've also known some people who were wealthy, but were among the kindest, most generous people I have ever met.

Notice I did not choose the phrase "folks who have no money worries." I question if there is such an animal. Basically while one group struggles to make money, the other must concern themselves with preserving and putting it to the best use.

It is easy to look at another person with an envious eye, but there is no need to. God wants each of us to use our own talents, not be jealous of what another person has. This is not to say that He frowns on people working hard and trying to get ahead financially. I think God honors that and it actually pleases Him. Because in doing so a person is using God-given talents.

It's when this pursuit consumes us or when we are successful and selfishly misuse our wealth that the problem is created. In fact, we can become so concerned with this pursuit and the future that we fail to enjoy one of God's greatest gifts...NOW!

The Lovely Susette and I were discussing this recently. She has so much going on in her life. While we are certainly thankful for every client she has, the home we have that calls out for maintenance, and the family we have, especially our granddaughter, who need attention it is easy to get overwhelmed by all these blessings and not enjoy any of them in the way God intended.

So TLS declared that she was going to make a real effort to enjoy her life moment-by-moment. That's a doggone god idea. Not always easy to do, but just the effort is rewarding and puts you on the right track. It brings peace of mind. It doesn't allow time for judging or being envious of others. It's just a posture of balance and gratefulness for the things one is blessed with.

This is not even a case of looking at some unfortunate person and thinking that you are better off than them because of the obvious problems they face. It's just a posture of enjoyment and being thankful. It's a way of making the most out of life one moment at a time. Not getting caught up in regrets of the past or worrying overly much about the future.

You can take time to plan for the future and still enjoy the moment. Just do what Christian Ponder, Florida State QB said he learned to do when rehabbing an injury: "Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."

That way you won't worry about the Fat Cats and you'll enjoy this wonderful life more.

Monday Prayer: Lord keeps us lean, thankful and hungry to do good and be the best we can be and keep us away from "fat cat thinking." Amen!

***author's note: Stay thin, not as a fat cat, but healthy in your thinking. Live moment by moment this week and God will help you plan a successful future.

What to Wear (August 25, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourself with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you, remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:12-13

You look into your closet and declare: "I just don't have a thing to wear. I might as well go back to bed!" There are a couple of reasons this declaration won't work. First of all, you have to go to work. Secondly, you really do have plenty of clothes.

But, the problem is none of the dresses, pants outfits, suits, shirts or ties that greet you when you slide the closet door open appeal you. You are tired of them. You want something new to wear.

Before I chastise you and say, "You've got plenty to wear. Just grab something, put it on and get to work. You are being lazy." Let's analyze this.

You probably do have some really nice outfits, any of which would be in style and look good on you, or you wouldn't have purchased them in the first place. The important thing, however, is how the clothes you put on to wear that day make you feel. Perhaps, you are just tired of wearing the same things week after week. Maybe you should go out and buy something new to wear.

Beware that's an easy trap to fall into. Running out to buy new clothes, everytime you get tired of the old ones, could be expensive. If you are rich or well-to-do that may not matter. Otherwise, if you are like me and the Lovely Susette you have to pick your shopping times. Or let me say you have to limit your "buying" times.

But, what you wear each day is important for a reason that's even more important than the way your clothes make you look. More importantly is the way they make you feel. If you feel really comfortable and at ease with what you have on you are more likely to generate success with the things you do. Your clothes can help make you feel good about yourself.
A devotion I read in "Our Daily Bread" said: "What we wear is important. We all want to dress appropriately and look our best. Besides, when we feel that we look good, we go through the day with more energy and confidence."

So what we put on each day is more than the clothes we wear. We put on a mindset, an attitude, an approach to things. Looking good and feeling good helps us to step out more boldly with confidence and we transmit an air of confidence that is perceived by others.

It is seen in our body language, our choice of words, our facial expressions. We smile more easily, anger or get frustrated slower and just take a more wholesome approach to things. All because of what we put on that morning or more appropriately our attitude towards our outfit and the way we look.

Granted, you can walk out of the house looking like a million bucks and the first person or situation you encounter can, as the old saying goes, "knock that into a cocked hat." But if you are clothed in the right stuff you'll be able to handle that with grace and pleasantness and not get sucked into a bad attitude like the one causing it.

Back in 1975 John T. Molloy, wrote a book he felt was designed to get you out of the house in style. It was called "Dress for Success", the book, had a great concept: choose your clothes to meet your goals, based on proven evidence about what works. Molloy described his research and defined the rules for clothes selection. He gave you everything you needed to know to "do-it-yourself". He advised against using image consultants, since they often didn't know the rules.

Now Molloy hit on a great idea...at least for selling books...because fashion trends change so naturally he keeps coming out with later editions calling them...how's this for a catchy title..."The New Dress for Success Book." He's also got one called "Dress for Success in an Interview." And "The Women's Dress for Success Book" and of course the new version of that one too.

Amazing how one idea can turn into, uh, lots of money. But more power to him. If his books help people then that's a good thing. While making a good impression or at least not turning folks off because of the clothes you wear as well as boosting your attitude is important, there is something that the Lord considers even more important.

While the Lord is concerned about what we wear to the extent that we don't distract others from the message we are sending them, He cares more what we "put on" spiritually. In our scripture lesson Paul instructs us each day to: "clothe ourselves with tender mercies, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Now those are the kind of "spiritual" clothes that will help us deal with the myriad situations we encounter each day. They represent the putting on of an attractive attitude that can bolster our day.

The NLT commentary elaborates on Paul's advice saying:

1) Imitate Christ's compassionate, forgiving attitude

2) Let love guide your life

3) Let the peace of Christ rule your heart

4) Always be thankful

5) Keep God's Word in you at all times

6) Live as Jesus Christ's representative

And as the Daily Bread devotion points out. "Christlikeness is never out of style!"

Prayer: Lord we want to be in style with our apparel and our spiritual clothing. So, we ask for you to guide our everyday decisions so that they may be stylishly successful in the Kingdom's work. Amen!

****author's note: Go out boldly, in style each day knowing that your spiritual clothing is always appropriate wherever you may be.

Joshua’s Game Plan (August 18, 2010) by Jim Crosby

But be faithful to the Lord your God as you have done until now. For the Lord has driven out great and powerful nations for you, and no one has yet been able to defeat you. Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as He has promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Joshua 23:8-11

Several years ago I responded to a call from the Lord to combine some of the work I had been doing as a sports announcer for years with His Kingdom's work. I had noticed that many principles successful football teams and players follow really are Biblically based, even if they don't realize it.

In trying to interweave Bible stories and football strategies I found some amazing correlations. As a result I published a book called "Devotions for the Armchair Quarterback." Last year I also created a seminar for Tallahassee's Center for Biblical Studies called "God's Game: Life Strategies from Football and the Bible" which I'll be presenting again this year on October 23, 2010

So, it is fitting, with football season descending quickly upon us that we take a look at a major component in success or failure of any team. It's one that we can relate to in our own lives. Having a plan and working that plan. For without a target or a goal to aim at we will hit nothing

One of the Old Testament leaders ,who we can all learn from when it comes to planning and following a plan, is Joshua.

Joshua was a talented player and a superior coach. As a player he was put on the scout team by Moses where he excelled. The people of Israel, because of their mumbling and grumbling and lack of confidence in God's fulfillment of His promise, had been wandering in the desert for 40 years.

They were now on the boundary of the Promised Land. Moses sent the scout team ahead to bring back a report on the land and any enemies that might be lurking there. Two players, Joshua and Caleb, brought back an honest and optimistic report. "It's ours for the taking."

The rest of the team talked about the difficulty of the task and the impossibility of overtaking the "giants" in the land. Consequently, of that entire nation, only Joshua and Caleb lived long enough to enter the Promised Land.

Then Joshua became the leader. He was their head coach. In our scripture lesson, from Joshua 23, his years are many and he is readying the leaders who will follow him. He lays out the game plan for the future:

In the Sports Devotion Bible (SDB) (page 229) we read Joshua's game plan. He told them:

Look to God for victory (verse 5)
Be strong (verse 6)
Follow the rules (verse 6)
Remain Spiritually pure (verse 7)
Love God (verse 11)

This was Joshua's "win-one-for-the Gipper" farewell address to his people or as the SDB calls it the "win-one for the Josher" speech. Joshua had enjoyed great success with many victories in his life. As he was now, "old and advanced in years," he knew that he needed to lay out a game plan for a future that did not include him, but would run smoothly without him.

His first strategy was to look to the head coach, God, who would lead them to victory. But, the people had some things they needed to do to hold up their end of the bargain. They were to stay strong no matter how tough things looked and keep on fighting. They had to play by the rules. Whenever they decided to take a short cut or deviate from the rules of the game they would be leaving the path that would lead to victory.

Next they had to remain spiritually pure. If they started associating with the pagan nations they would weaken their attack. Finally, he told them to just love God because he would be their strength and the reason for victory.

So, Joshua created a plan that not only would work for his countrymen centuries ago, it is a good one to pattern our lives after today. SDB says, "Imagine how our lives would change if we were to follow those five guidelines: trust God; be strong, obey God, remain pure and love God."

Just as football teams have long range plans (for the season), they have to make individual game plans for a different opponent each week, we need long term and short term goals for our lives. Coaches don't just tell the players what the plan is and expect to go out and win while getting better as a team. It has to be written and practiced over and over. If it's not lived out each day the chances for failure increase. So, I would encourage you to write down a plan. Think about where you are in certain areas of your life today: in relationships; in business; spiritually and other important considerations. Then write down where you would like to be at the end of the year.

Obviously these plans have to be written with a certain amount of flexibility built in because time and circumstances change things. Any plan that is written in stone is a plan that is doomed to fail. Being able to adjust a plan is as important as making the plan in the first place. Things don't always work out the way we want them to in life. Our plan might not fit God's plan. He always has the best plan.

But, even when we have to make changes those things we leave behind don't get completely thrown out. Included among them are growth spurts and learning experiences that make us better. As author Richard Rohr says: "Everything Belongs."

As the football season progresses it will be fun to watch how your favorite team's best laid plans work out. Likewise make note of where you are on a personal level at the season's beginning, work on your plan to get better each day by making God a major part of the plan. Then, when Bowl season comes along we'll not only see how our team's plan worked, but we can see how our personal plan worked out as well.

Prayer: Lord, we want to plan for success. Help us to define what is true success in our lives and show us how to achieve that day-by-day. Amen!

***author's note: Learn from Joshua this week and let God lead you into bigger and better things in your life.

Proverbially Yours (August 11, 2010) by Jim Crosby

God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding and knowledge too vast to be measured. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. 1 Kings 4:29-30

Proverb (n): a short pithy statement bout human nature and life

Proverbially (adv): expressed in a proverb.

King Solomon. You know him. He was the guy who was wise enough to ask for wisdom. 1 Kings 3 tells this story. "That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and God said, "What do you want? Ask and I will give it to you."

How about that a blank check from God? You are probably thinking; "man, what I could do with that. If God granted me any wish I would never have a worry." Seriously wouldn't you be tempted to ask for wealth. I mean, money is so hard to come by these days, especially with the harsh economic times we have been experiencing. Well, Solomon didn't ask for wealth.

Here's what Solomon said: "Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?"

Here's what God said: "Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for¾riches and honor. No other king in all the world will be compared to you the rest of your life!"

So, Solomon shared that wisdom with us by writing 3,000 proverbs. He also wrote 1,005 songs. He could also "speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon."

Reading Proverbs is like a fun romp through a book of one-liners. Well, not always fun because Solomon tells it like it was (back then) and still is today. Consequently, there are some proverbs that ...well...are "if the shoe fits wear it" types.

Reading through the Proverbs you immediately notice that Solomon makes clear distinctions between Wise People and Foolish ones:

"Fools think they need no advice: but the wise listen to others."

"The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with great

consciousness.".

Solomon has a lot to say about working hard:

"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied."

"Hard work means prosperity; only fools idle away their time."

Solomon says laziness ain't good:

"A lazy person sleeps soundly and goes hungry."

"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things."

Solomon values cheerfulness because it brightens everyone's life:

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."

"A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit."

Wise King Solomon advises us to let God in on our plans...unless we want to fail:

"We can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps."

"We can gather our thoughts but the Lord gives us the right answers."

"We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall."

Solomon points out that God is the most important supervisor in the work place

"The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; he sets the standard."

"The Lord despises double standards of every kind."

What does Solomon say about marriage, ...uh:

"It's better to live in the desert alone than wit a crabby wife."

"The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the

Lord."

Solomon on love:

"A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate."

Solomon says don't talk too much:

"A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even tempered."

"Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut they seem intelligent."

Solomon says do what you say:

"The Lord hates those who don't keep their word, but he delights in those who do."

Live right says Solomon:

"Godly people find life; evil people find death."

"The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will be refreshed."

Ok, so that was a lot of information thrown at you in a short devotion. There are some great life lessons, but it's obvious if you read the Book of Proverbs straight through then it's a little overwhelming and a lot of information will be forgotten.

But, by reading a few proverbs at a time and contemplating them. Thinking about how they can be applied in your life will only make you...like Solomon...a wiser person.

Soon you'll be thinking of a proverb while you are doing a task or using a proverb in your conversation or writing. That way Solomon's wise words will be "Proverbially Yours."

Prayer: Lord we do thank you for Solomon's wisdom and our access to it. Help us to incorporate these proverbs into our personal lives a few at a time. Amen!

***author's note: This week read a few Proverbs each day and see how many situations you come across in which a proverb can be applied to your benefit.

The Like-O-Meter (August 4, 2010) by Jim Crosby

If you look for me in earnest you will find me. When you seek me I will be found by you, says the Lord.                 Jeremiah 29:13
Do you like God? In asking that question John Ortberg ("The Me I want to Be") says, "That may sound like a strange question, and I don't mean to be glib about God. But if I do not like being with God, I simply will not be with him much. It is good to be honest about this because if you don't like God, there's no use trying to fake him out. The point of this is not to make you feel guilty that you should want God more. ‘Should' simply does not have the power to get you there."
In order to really "like" God and move from the "should" category to "want to" you've got to turn on your like-o-meter. Ortberg points out that your "like-o-meter" was running the day you were born. Babies already know foods that taste good to them and those they don't like. So as we grow things continue to register on our like-o-meter without our having to consciously think about it.
If you didn't like spinach as a baby, you probably didn't as a small child, then as a teenager maybe even extending into your adult years. Although tastes do sometimes change over the years. Now as an adult I like the taste of some things I wouldn't touch as a child.
There's also the matter of cultivating a taste for something. That's when we consciously determine that this is something we really want to enjoy, so we try it more often and eventually we decide: "Hey, this ain't too bad."
It is the same with people. OK, I know we are supposed to like or at least try to like everyone. Frankly, that's practically impossible. But, even those folks that we don't see eye-to-eye with do have some redeeming qualities. Everyone has some good things about them and perhaps we don't let those surface because it requires some effort and we just figure "Hey, it isn't worth it" and you let the offensive things overtake those good ones. Shame on us...but, realistically that happens.
But, I doubt if any of us have really thought about God in terms of where He is on our like-o-meter. You say, "What are you crazy. Not like God? Who would be so foolish as to do that?" Well, I guess atheists or agnostics would fall in that category and it probably doesn't bother them because they don't really recognize God for who He is.
Unfortunately they shut themselves off from His love, which He is ready and willing to shower down on them. All they or any of us have to do is reprogram our like-o-meter.
In some cases it, even though this sounds shallow to the point of verging on being sacrilegious, a person has to cultivate a taste for God. They have to keep trying to find him...to like Him...until it dawns on them how great a relationship with Him is.
Psalm 34:8 says: "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."   It's a taste test. A try-it-you'll-like-it type of thing. Ortberg says: "Taste is an experimental word. It is an invitation from a confident chef. You don't have to commit to eating the whole thing; just try a sample---taste. If you don't like it, you can skip the rest. But the chef is convinced that if he can get you to take one bite, you are going to want the whole enchilada."
Once you try and like it then it falls into the "got-to-have" category. That's when you really become motivated to get close to God. After you have experienced a sample of His favor you can't do without it. As we experience Him daily we truly discover how good He is.
The best thing is that He promises if you sincerely seek Him He will be found. He's not hiding. He isn't playing games. He is available. The prophet Jeremiah relayed this message from God to the people: " If you look for me in earnest you will find me. When you seek me, I will be found by you."
God told them, through Jeremiah he Had a plan for them. It was a good plan, not just something cobbled together without any forethought. But, they had to come to Him to find out what it was. They had to seek Him out.
If somebody tells us they have a good plan and we say "great," but never bother to find out what it is, how will we know if it is something good that will benefit us or not? We have to seek out the information. God has all kinds of good things in store for us, but we won't know what they are unless we seek him to find the answer.
In his best-selling "Prayer of Jabez" book Bruce Wilkinson tells about a new arrival getting a tour of heaven. He insisted on going into this large warehouse, against the advice of St. Peter. What he saw in there was row after row of shelves stacked from floor to ceiling with white boxes.
On closer inspection he noticed each box had a name on it. He asked Peter if there was one with his name on it, and was told there was, but advised against finding and opening it. Well, that was all he had to hear...he went rushing down the aisle looking at the names until he found his.
As Peter was still protesting he lifted the lid on his box. What he discovered was list after list of various items. He said..."What's all this?" The reply was..."those are all the blessings the Lord had for you that you never asked for."
I wonder. Is the box up in Heaven's warehouse with our name on it filling up. Are they going to have to put a second box up there for us. Have we just skimmed the surface of God's blessings for us while we are here?
Do we like God enough to find out those answers or is our world so full of other stuff we never take time to discover these. Examine your like-o-meter today. Are there ways to adjust, rearrange, eliminate or add to your life that will enable you get closer to God?
These can only lead to a richer, fuller life that is complete with even more of God's blessings simply because you sought them.
Prayer: Lord thank you for being so accessible. Help us to be wise enough to take advantage of that gift. Amen!
***author's note: Check out that like-o-meter this week. Is it well oiled and running smoothly? Performance daily maintenance; then, count your blessings.




Following the Recipe (July 28, 2010) by Jim Crosby

I urge you, first of all to pray for all people. As you make your request, plead for God's mercy upn them and give thanks....This good and please God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.   1 Timothy 2:1,3
Reverend James Nicodem tells this story about the importance of following a recipe.. He and his wife Sue, had invited another family over for dinner one Halloween evening. While the dads were out with the kids trick-or-treating Sue was cooking up a big batch of chili. The story unfolds in his book "Prayer Coach."
"Sue looked at the recipe, then added the amount of salt it called for. Then, the doorbell rand and she stopped cooking long enough to drop some cand in the bags of a ghost, a cheerleader, and a hobo.
Returning to the stove, Sue picked up where she'd left of with the recipe. It called for salt, so she added salt. Another doorbell interruption. She returned to the recipe and it called for salt. Doorbell...salt...doorbell...salt.
As we dove into the chili later that night, we found ourselves gulp down glass after glass of water. Our guests didn't want to appear rude by not eating the stuff, but it was making us all gag. Finally, Sue spoke up, acknowledging that she'd probably done something wrong. That's when it dawned on her that she'd repeated the recipe's salt step a few too many times. The meal was thereafter referred to as the "chili from hell."
Funny little story, but it demonstrates the importance of not only following a recipe, but following it properly. Now, Sue might have been okay with that first slip-up. Added another bit of salt may not have destroyed the chili. But, repeatedly doing it rendered it pretty much inedible.
The Lovely Susette, from time to time will take some liberties with a recipe. Maybe she will substitute an ingredient or increase the amount of something that is called for. Usually when she does that it improves the dish. Although on rare occasion...and I do stress the word rare because TLS reads these devotions, The ad-libbing/changing does not make it better. And there are some TLS specialities that are so good we put a "DO NOT MESS WITH THIS RECIPE" label on them. Well, we don't actually make a label, but it is understood that it would be nearly impossible to improve on it so let it alone, please.
Recipes are important. They show us the way to make something that has been successfully done before. They take the guess work and experimentation out of cooking and make it easier to create special dishes, even if the cook/chef has never tried it before.
Of course, sometimes a recipe for something that looks really good, especially one that is accompanied by a picture. Sometimes a dish will look a lot better in a photograph than it actually tastes.
And I am aware that some ovens, microwaves, and grills vary in their temperatures. 400 degrees on one may be too hot for a food item, just right or not quite hot enough, In those cases adjustments to cooking time may be required. So, while following a recipe in cooking is important it is not foolproof and sometimes adjustments have to be made.
There is a recipe we can use to get in touch with God through prayer. Now it can be adjusted from time to time depending on our temperature, not God's. His is always perfect.
Sometimes we are more distressed than others when we go to the Lord in prayer. Sometimes we are bubbling over with happiness and are counting our blessings. On occasion we are rushed...in a time crunch. We may be in situations throughout the day when a little quickie prayer needs to be offered up. Maybe we want to write out a prayer to organize our thoughts better and present our case to God. There are all kinds of situations, circumstances and places we are in that cause us to pray differently.
There is a long-time recipe for prayer that seems to work well. It is a recipe requiring four-ingredients. It follows the acronym: ACTS, A for adoration. C for confession. T for thanksgiving and S for supplication.. When you pray using those for ingredients you have balance in our prayer. It works.
But, just like tinkering with a food recipe can sometimes improve it, Nicodem suggests a little tinkering with this prayer recipe. He feels it would be better to redirect the acronym to read: CHAT. He is not eliminating any of the elements...just rearranging them. It may work better for you and it may not.
He points out that by starting with "C:" confession he erases the board and all the scribbling in his life and starts his prayer on a clean page. God is faithful to forgive us when we seek that forgiveness, so knowing that we have messed up and are truly unworthy of having our prayer heard, we can gain peace by confessing first. Then, we can get on to the other, more enjoyable parts, because let's face it...admitting we are wrong and have sinned is tough to do.
Nicodem substitutes "H" adoration. It stands for honor and it is a form of praise. We honor him by as the scripture says "enter his courts with praise." After all God has just forgiven us for our misdeeds so when we praise the only One who is capable of doing that fully we honor him.
Next we ask...substituting the "A" for the "S" that stood for supplication. Who knows what that is anyway. But, we have lots to ask of God. So this is an important part of our prayers and logically comes after confession and honoring.
Finally, the "T" stands for thanksgiving. We rightfully thank God for forgiving those sins we have confessed, for allowing us to honor him through our prayers and then hearing what we ask him and answering those pleas. Then with thank Him for all these things and the abundance of His blessings.
By doing all this we have an acronym that is meaningful-CHAT. We chat with God because he is our friend and He loves us.
So, there's our recipe for meaningful prayer. Does it have to be followed to the letter for God to hear it. Absolutely not. But, it does bring order and balance to our prayers and can be fruitful as we sincerely converse with the Heavenly Father. But, like any recipe it is not written in stone and may be adjusted from time to time to get closer to Him.
The recipe that works all the time has this acronym; PRAY!
Prayer: Thank you Lord that you are always ready to hear our prayers, no matter what the recipe is that we are using. Amen!
****Author's note: Sometimes I use either one of these two acronym's because my mind is in disarray from a stressful day or an overload of information, problems, or myriad other distractions. This recipe helps me to settle down and pray effectively.




Lazy Days (July 14, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you.      2 Thessalonians 3:6
It's the first morning back from vacation and the realization hits me that I have not crafted a devotion for this week, yet. Even though it is not good journalistic practice to open a writing with an apology, I feel it is appropriate today, because many of you have come here expecting a new devotion and found last week's still up. So, this apology is for those faithful readers who did that...hope you came back later to discover this one.
After a nice week up in Cape Cod, The Lovely Susette and I returned to the heat and humidity of North Florida this weekend. That takes some readjustments to get back in the flow. But, the fact is my mind and body sometimes rebel in the heat of summer. They don't want to work hard. They just want to be lazy.
Nat King Cole used to sing; "Roll our those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. You'll wish that summer could always be here." Wrong! I don't particularly enjoy hot weather. Some folks do. But, give me a cold day anytime.
Nevertheless, I must admit that summer does have it's benefits. It's a more casual time. Everything is in bloom...until the heat wilts it. The beach and swimming pool are fun. TLS and I are looking forward to taking granddaughter Quinn (almost 6 months old) to the swimming pool.
But, there is one danger attached to summer that I have to fight to avoid. That's laziness. Boy, it is so easy to let your work slide, fall behind, or even stop in all this heat. Much easier to find a cool place with a cold drink and a book and veg out. Just let the world pass you by as your mind shifts into neutral. Admittedly, as a writer, I find it more difficult to be creative in the heat. But, really that is a cop out. Truth be known it's just a lazy attitude.
This past weekend I read an article on a local author who has published 17 books. Didn't give her age, but judging from her picture I would say early 30's at the most. She writes, on the average, 365,000 words a year. That seems like a lot, but if you do the math that's a thousand words a day which is about four double-spaced pages. On the surface that doesn't appear to be too difficult until you consider that is writing seven days a week, 52 weeks out of the year. In other words, every day...bad days, good days, mediocre days...and on lazy days.
The author, Julianna Baggott, who has taught creative writing at Florida State University says that she "writes all the time" and adds that "I don't take time off for holidays and I can write essays while I'm traveling."
If that sounds like being a slave to your work it isn't really. It is just a matter of establishing priorities. Baggott says her writing process is "self-interrupting and I've been able to meld the process into the rest of my life. I'll write all day and then stop when the kids come home." Then, she writes again after everyone has gone to bed.
Reading that article has prompted me to reassess my schedule and my attitude. In doing so, I found that those projects that were placed on the back burner are barely lukewarm, some on the verge of the fire going out all together. The only way to get them back on track is to turn up the flame.
What about you? Are you taking the summer off? Are those "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" suffocating your initiative and productivity?
Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians for people to "stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you."   The NLT commentary says; "Paul was writing here about the person who is lazy. Paul explained that when he and his companions were in Thessalonica, they worked hard, buying what was needed rather than becoming a burden to any of the believers. The rule they followed was, "Whoever does not work should not eat." OK, that's pretty clear!
I really think it's a case of pacing instead of pampering yourself. I don't know about you, but I can only work so long before my productivity or at least my creativity begins to suffer. Maybe it's that way with you and the projects you need to get done.
As I've said before, in these devotions, I am a great list-maker. It gives me great pleasure to make a list of the things I need to get done, prioritize them, then check them off one at a time as I complete them. I can look back at the day's end and see jobs checked off and this provides a great sense of accomplishment. It encourages me to do the same tomorrow and the next day.
But, this is not to say that we have to work, work, work and not give ourselves a break. NLT says, "Relaxation and recreation provide a necessary and much needed balance to our life, but when it is time to work, Christians should jump right in.
We should make the most of our talent and time, doing all we can to provide for ourselves and our dependents.
That's what this devotion is all about today. Putting things in perspective and allocating the right amount of time to the proper things. Even though that seems like common sense, I bring it up to call your attention to something I have to admit and must make the adjustment. It is just easier for me to take relaxation, in those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer to the extreme. Gosh, I do have lots of good books waiting to be read! Productivity can be pushed aside or diminished and idleness can easily worm it's way up to the top of the list disguised as R&R, but taken to the extreme.
So, in good faith I offer this simple advice. Rest when you should be resting, and work when you should be working.   Have a great summer!
Prayer: Lord, you have blessed us with plenty to do. Help us to do the things that need doing and rest when rest is called for. Amen!
***Author's note: I hope summer is fun for you, but productive as well. Enjoy each day God gives us.

The Taste Test (June 30, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who trust in him. Psalm 34:8
Okay, before you read this devotion please keep in mind that my highest grades in High School or College or Graduate School did not come in any of the science courses. With that disclaimer having been made just bare with me because I'm sure the Lord is taking us somewhere with this devotion---where I'm not sure, so it will be a surprise to both of us.
First of all, while doing my daily Bible study last week I came across Psalm 34. It started out innocently enough talking about praising the Lord at all times; boasting in the Lord; telling of the Lord's greatness and exalting him.
It talked about how the angel of the Lord guards those who fear (respect) him and he rescues us. Then in verse eight we read: "Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who trust in Him" Now what's up with that? Taste the Lord.? Maybe I'd better review my understanding of taste as it relates to the five senses.
OK, fundamental science. The five basic senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Well, humans are considered to have other senses as well, like a sense of time, pain, balance, etc. But, those have long fancy scientific names, for example balance is equilibrioception. We don't want to get into that because it will just confuse me...uh, us. So let's stick with the basics.
I don't have to tell you that these five senses affect our perception of things. Some of these senses might be absent or damaged or diminished in human beings over time and those individuals learn to compensate for them. When eyesight dims we can obtain eye-glasses. Sub-par hearing can be boosted through hearing aids. My father-in-law had an injury to his nose years ago which pretty much eliminated his sense of smell, but that has not hampered the other four senses. He enjoys eating without actually being able to smell the food cooking or after it is put on his plate.
But, the sense of taste is different. If you had no sense of taste it would be very difficult to enjoy food, I would think. According to Wikipedia humans detect taste through taste receptor cells which are clustered in taste buds.
There are five primary taste sensations: salty; sour; sweet; bitter and umami. If you are like me you're probably saying: What the heck is umami. Well, it would require too detailed an explanation on that...so just say it is the taste that enables you to detect the amino acid that gives flavor to meats and is found in artificial flavorings such as MSG.
Have you ever tried a new dish and said..."I detect a little taste of ...well, let's see is that cinnamon, I'm tasting there?" Maybe it is and maybe it isn't, but it definitely is affecting your tasting experience. Maybe you like cinnamon and that makes you like this new recipe even more. If you dislike cinnamon you are probably not going to like the new food you are trying. So, taste can definitely affect our perception of something.
Usually we think of taste in a positive way. Like when we say some action was "tastefully done." It was performed with class or character. It passes the test. Just like when we say a person has "good taste in clothes or books or movies." Obviously taste is important. If we don't like the way something tastes we will avoid it.
This is why I found verse 8 a little puzzling at first..."Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who trust in him!" But as NLT explains: "Taste and see does not mean, "Check out God's credentials. Instead it is a warm invitation. Try this, I know you'll like it." When we take that first step of obedience in following God, we cannot help discovering that He is good and kind. When we begin the Christian life our knowledge of God is partial and incomplete. As we trust him daily we experience how good he is."
Of course there is such a thing as "acquired taste." Haven't you had an experience in which you weren't really crazy about something, but when you gave it another whirl you liked it a little more. Then after a few more times you said..."Hey this ain't half bad. In fact, I kinda like it. Glad I stuck with it."
So, some times you just have to stay with something beyond the first experience to like it. It's sort of that way with church. We love to invite people to our church because we feel positive about the experience they will have and think they will want to come back. But, we can't be all things to all people and some don't return. We hope that they acquire a taste for worship somewhere. Meanwhile, we keep doing what we feel led by the Holy Spirit to do.
Just like you can see a food dish that looks appealing or smell one that makes your mouth water. But, until you actually taste it you cannot say with authority, "I love that...can I have the recipe."
People can go to church and hear a beautiful sermon. They can enjoy the music. Meeting the people can be a positive experience. Hearing the prayers and observing the deep faith that prompts them can be touching.
But, until a person actually tastes the Gospel message everything else is window dressing. If a heart is not transformed; if the message of God's love and grace is received, but the person is not changed by this it is like the New Testament example of the man who looks in the mirror. He sees what he looks like, then moving away from the mirror he quickly forgets. He doesn't remember that his hair was messed up or there was a coffee stain on the shirt or the tie didn't match the outfit.
So it is with the person who goes through the motions of seeing, hearing, touching, even smelling all of the aspects of the Gospel message, but does not actually taste it, then there is something missing.
To experience the depth, width, height and all the far-reaching applications of God's love and favor, we must give it the Taste Test, then we'll fully appreciate His blessings.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the taste we acquire from you for righteous living and a greater understanding of the nature of your love and favor in our lives. Amen!
***author's note: Think about and appreciate those taste buds this week and transfer that to a taste for growing God's Kingdom with the talents you have.



Faith (June 23, 2010) by Jim Crosby

This good news tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the scriptures say: It is through faith that a righteous person has life.   Romans 1:17
OK, now about this faith thing. Just what is it? Paul talks about it. He writes about it. He probably even dreams about it. So, it must be important, given how much of the New Testament is attributed to Paul.
First of all, take a look at Paul. Our home group is finishing up a study of Acts in which we have marveled at the strategies Paul used in the early days of establishing the church.   He was a great tactician.
I like the way he was able to think on his feet, analyze a situation and make adjustments on the spot. For example, Paul was brought before the Jewish high council and put on trial. Basically, these guys wanted to kill him. He had become a thorn in their side. He had been out converting Gentiles to The Way and the Jews didn't like this.
Paul had been telling his conversion story of how he was struck blind by the Lord to get his attention letting him know that his persecution of Christians was wrong. Then his sight was restored and he was commanded to go and preach The Word to the Gentiles primarily, but also to everyone he came in contact with. It was on orders from a much higher level that he was doing what he was doing.
But, back to his on-trial strategy. He noted, amidst all the clamor and shouting against him, that his antagonistic audience was comprised of both Sadducees and Pharisees. We read about it in Acts 23: 6-9 "Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, ‘Brothers' I am a Pharisee, as were all my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!' This divided the council¾the Pharisees against the Sadducees¾for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. So a great clamor arose. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up to argue that Paul was all right. We see nothing wrong with him, they shouted. Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him."
Paul's clever, ad-lib strategy worked. Instead of everybody being against him, now half the accusers were against him and the other half had changed their mind. You see Paul always had faith that no matter how the odds were stacked against him, as the saying goes, "one plus God is a majority." If he was following the leadership of the Holy Spirit he had nothing to fear.
Basically what we are saying here is that Paul had "faith."   Faith means we put our trust in something. Paul had learned the hard way to trust the Lord. Now his faith was unshakeable. He says in today's scripture from Romans that faith is "how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith."
There are 247 verses of scripture in the Bible that mention faith. Another 81 talk about being faithful. Eight verses use the word faithfully and another 19 talk of faithfulness. So, 355 verses in the Bible stretching from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy through the Bible-ending book of Revelation contain references to faith. Looks like God considers faith to be pretty important doesn't it?
Colossians 2:12-15 points out that "when Jesus triumphed over death, he cancelled the charges against us and opened the way to the Father." Because God is merciful he offers us faith.
The NLT commentary says: "How tragic if we turn faith into a deed and try to develop it on our own! We can never come to God through our own faith any more than his Old Testament people could come through their own sacrifices. Instead, we must accept His gracious offer with thanksgiving and allow him to plant the seed of faith within us."
Faith, as described in the Bible can sometimes seem to be contradictory. Romans 3:28 "So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." Contrast that verse with James 2:28 "Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds."
One seems to be saying faith is relieving not doing. The other alludes to faith relying on good deeds. NL says: "Deeper investigation shows that the teachings of James and Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith. James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual assent with true faith. True faith involves a commitment of your whole self to God."
If I am reading that correctly it is saying that if you have true faith you will want to do good. Doing good is not the key...faith is.
In our daily lives we take a lot of things on faith. Cars will stop on a red light so we can commence to drive when ours turns green. If we put the right amount of money in a vending machine it will yield a drink. If we are kind and considerate to someone else they will treat us the same way. These are examples of simple faith. So simple we really don't think about what the results will be. We just do them and have faith, i.e. expect these things to happen.
Sometimes are faith is not rewarded. Cars run red lights; vending machines malfunction; and people are often selfish and inconsiderate.
When our "faith is in the Lord who made heaven and earth" and not centered on the whims and vagaries of other human beings, then we have something rock solid. The kind of faith that is dependable, unchangeable, and always there.
Keep the faith!
Prayer: Lord thank you for the gift of faith. Help us to keep it centered in our lives always trusting and following You! Amen!
***author's note: Have a faith-filled week and it will be a good one. J

The Dash of Your Life (June 16, 2010) by Jim Crosby

  ...the Lord has already told you what is good, and this is what He requires; to do what is right, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
A beautiful person passed away last week. Aunt Lil left us at the age of 88. She was the Lovely Susette's favorite aunt, so I was privileged to get to know her over the years. I'd like for you to get to know her too because we will all be better off for having known "Aunt Lil" At the hot, muggy gravesite service in Atlanta, her granddaughter read a poem called "The Dash" by Linda Ellis. Not only will it help you get to know Lil a little bit, it will stimulate all of our thinking about our own lives and how we are living them.
The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars....the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left.
(You could be at "dash midrange.")
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they
say about how you spend your dash?
Bonnie's reading of this poem to describe her grandmother caused all of us to think about the dash on Lil's obituary that separated 1921 from 2010 and called up our own special memories of her.
I remember once when TLS and I went to Atlanta to visit her, Lil greeted us at the door with the ever-present smile, wearing jeans and a T-shirt that read: "Age is just a number and mine is unlisted." Everything about Lil was fun. She epitomized the phrase "Southern Hospitality."
She and I could talk endlessly about sports, especially our favorite baseball team the Atlanta Braves. And when the game was over we would be treated to some of the best cooking I'd ever experienced. I'm not sure there was anything Lil couldn't cook just right.
She was an adventurer. Motorcycle riding, hiking, camping and lots of traveling. She had visited 48 states and innumerable foreign countries living life to its fullest.            Hearing all this you might think Lil had a completely happy life, devoid of a lot of tragedy and despair. Otherwise, how could she always be so pleasant, smiling, and able to please others. Actually, tribulations are polar opposite to what you would think when in the presence of this remarkable woman.
Lil survived three suicides in her family. Yes, you read that correctly: three. Two of her husbands and a daughter committed suicide. I'm not sure any of us could accurately discern the deep despair those deaths caused her. But, here was Aunt Lil, right up until her own death, making people feel good just being around her in the assisted living facility.
As I was doing my SOAP Journaling today, I read Micah 6:8 whch says "The Lord has already told you what is good, and this what He requires; to do what is right, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God."
That made me think of Lil. She had so much on the ball, yet she chose, not to flaunt all the things she had done, but to make other people feel good when they were around her. Oh, she would talk about her trips and experiences if you brought them up. But, as a person who has been almost nowhere compared to her, I never felt like she shared any of those remarkable things with an air of superiority. She was just a fun story teller, who had experienced a lot in life...both the good and the bad.
A common thing for Pastors to do in a funeral is to say that the deceased is now in a better place. Personally, I don't doubt that. However, there are others who are not comforted by those words. In their grief they can't picture the loved one's not being with them as being better in any way.
But, in thinking about Lil's life I'd have to say that wherever she would be, with her wonderful smile and friendliness, was a better place at that point in time. That dash separating all those, nearly 90 years, was full of fun and goodness. So, really I have to believe that where Aunt Lil is now really is an even better place because she is there.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for those special people, like Aunt Lil, who just make life happier and a brighter place to be. Amen!
***author's note: Hope your week is filled with joy and happiness as you continue make your dash meaningful and memorable. My thanks to Linda Ellis, author of "The Dash".Her website is http//lindaellis.net.

Figuring God Out (June 9, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort.       2 Corinthians 1:3

"I can't seem to figure God out. That's a good thing. It's good because God is so much greater than we are that it would be foolish to suggest that we've got the God-thing down pat." That's the opening paragraph to Dave Branon's new book "Beyond the Valley."

Dave goes on to add "But not figuring God out is a good thing because it reminds us that He is so much greater and more complicated and more nuanced than we could ever understand."

"Beyond the Valley" was written out of Dave's struggle to come to grips with personal tragedy in his life. Reading it re-ignited my thinking on the mystery of God. Like many others I have grappled with trying to figure out just where God is taking me on this journey that is my life.

How in the world does God figure these things out? How does he arrive at outcomes I never could have imagined? I know He has a plan for my life but, what in the world could he possibly have been thinking when he enables or allows unbelievable circumstances to occur?

As frustrating as it might be at times when undesirable things happen in life because we know God is in control, why do these bad things happen to good people?   Branon says that not figuring God out leads to a couple of good things. The first is that "it allows us to exercise our faith" Second, "not figuring God out completely leads us to spend time contemplating Him and sitting in awe of Him."

Most of us are great front-runners. We feel close to God when we are achieving great victories in our lives. It is easy to praise Him during those times. Isn't this a brilliant God we serve who could dream up that joy-filled event or occurrence in our daily life? We are so happy during those times that we don't spend a lot of time trying to figure God out.

But, let something go wrong...a tragedy...a setback...a disappointment and we wonder why God would allow that to happen. When it gets real dicey our faith can be tested and it can go either way. In our distress we can turn totally to God and plead for resolution, peace and comfort. Or we could blame God and have doubts creep in about His love or maybe even His existence. We feel his absence from our heart and it hurts.
Dallas Willard ("Renovation of the Heart") says "As we first turned away from God in our thoughts, so it is in our thoughts that are the first movements toward the renovation of the heart. Thoughts are the first place where we can and must begin to change."

In one of my earlier devotions, which also evolved into a sermon, I explored the idea of "thinking about what you are thinking about." In it I encouraged everyone to pause often and just think about what you are thinking about.

How did this idea creep into my mind? Is it a negative one that will pull me down or impede progress? How should I dismiss it or turn it into something positive.

Likewise Willard is saying to renovate our hearts and to help figure God out we have to change our thought patterns. Obviously we will never figure God out completely, but trying to re-focus on him when our thoughts stray will help us discern where God is leading us.

My pastor, Betsy Ouellette, recommends a style of prayer called "Centering Prayer." It can also be called "Contemplative Prayer." The purpose in it is to block out everything else and listen for Divine guidance. But, as soon as we start to be still and hear God's voice, that's when Satan fills our head with all kinds of distractions. Plans for the day. What's for dinner? Visiting the grandchildren.

To block these out and center ourselves, as soon as a distraction creeps in we get back to center by re-focusing on a "centering word." A good one could be "Jesus." Or "Holy Spirit." Anything that wipes out the distraction and refocuses you on communicating, i.e., listening to God.

It's not so much a case of figuring God out as it is figuring out what God wants us to do. 2 Corinthians 1:3 is a verse that Dave Branon says will enable you to "see how exciting it is to contemplate our awesome heavenly Father."

First, we praise God not only as our God, but the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that God is three persons¾Father, Son, and Spirit¾ but the amazing thing pointed out here is that He is "not just our God, but He is also the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, in this verse we see that He is not just the God of our Lord Jesus, but the Father as well.   He's the "One who loved the ‘Son and placed everything in His hands.' "

Third, He is the "Father of Compassion." He hurts with us when we hurt. He helps us find our way and recover by calling on His love. We are comforted in knowing He will never forsake or leave us.

Finally, He is the "God of all Comfort." We are His creation. He didn't make us and throw us out there to survive. He knows life is hard sometimes. But, He is always there to comfort us.

It is a fact that we cannot figure God out. But, with the help of His word, our friends and writers like Dave Branon who have been through the fire, and Pastors like Betsy Ouellette who help their congregations center God in their prayers, we can do the next best thing¾begin to figure out how God wants us to conduct our lives.

Prayer: God of comfort and compassion. God and Father of our Savior, we praise you for your love, grace and tender mercies. As we seek you in our lives help us to figure out the best path to follow. The one that works because it falls within your optimum plan for us. Amen!

***Author's note: Keep the faith as you focus on God's plan for you this week. Make him the center of your attention and enjoy a stellar week. :)

A Spirited Approach (June 2, 2010) by Jim Crosby

When the Spirit of Truth comes He will guide you into all truth...He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever He receives from me. All that the Father Has is mine; this is what I mean when I say the Spirit will reveal to you whatever He receives from me.   John 16: 13-15
"The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you." Pastor Betsy Ouellette added a "Wow" after she read that statement. That is a powerful thought isn't it?
As believers we have at our fingertips a very powerful helper who actually resides in us and can become a major force in our lives or can lie dormant. It's our choice.
Some days we realize we need all the help we can get and we feel more receptive to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Others, when things are going well, we are not as disposed to seek the assistance of the Spirit. The truth is, if we look for this help in good times and bad ones, we will lead fuller and richer lives.
Jesus knew that once he returned to heaven his disciples would need help. He wouldn't be around physically to teach, comfort, lead and direct them. He wouldn't be there to pick them up and dust them off when they got knocked down. They wouldn't have the one-on-one, eye-to-eye meetings and confidential in-person advice they had received.
But, it was important that the Kingdom's work continue. The disciples had the heavy responsibility of not letting the Lord's work, that was so dramatically and controversially begun by Jesus, die out. They had to keep it going and growing and obviously there were some big sandals to fill. Nobody could do it like Jesus did.
So, Jesus promised, even though he would not be here physically he would send some quality help for believers, so they would not have to face decision-making, actions and temptations alone. In John 14:16-18 he told the Disciples help would be on its way. He would be sending a friend. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive Him because it isn't looking for Him and doesn't recognize Him. But, you do, because He lives with you now and later will be in you."
NLT commentary adds: "The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us and all believers, helping us live as God wants and building Christ's church on earth. By faith we can appropriate the Spirit's power each day." So, this same Holy Spirit that came to in-dwell the original disciples is present in the lives of believers in 2010.
In her Pentecost Sunday sermon ("I Believe in the Holy Spirit") Pastor Betsy shared what was written about the Holy Spirit in the Nicene Creed, first revealed in 325 AD and later refined in 381 AD. The Creed states that "We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the father before all the worlds, light of light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made....And in the Holy Ghost (Spirit) the Lord and Giver of live who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets."
There is an air of mystery surrounding the Holy Spirit, the fact that he/she is referred to as the Holy Ghost confirms that. In fact there is some fear out there among some folks concerning the Spirit. Some churches don't preach a lot about the Spirit even though Christian churches recognize the Spirit as a co-equal part of the Trinity.
"The Shack" William P. Young's best seller, even though it is fiction, does a remarkable job of somewhat demystifying the Trinity and how God, one in three persons, does the work of Heaven. When the Father (Papa) introduced Mack (the main character) to Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Sarayu). Here's the scene: "Thoughts tumbled over themselves as Mack struggled to figure out what to do. Was one of these people God? What if they were hallucinations or angels, or God was coming later. That could be embarrassing. Since there were three of them, maybe this was a Trinity sort of thing."
"Then," Mack struggled to ask, which one of you is God?"
"I am," said all three in unison. Mack looked from one to the next, and even though he couldn't begin to grasp what he was seeing and hearing, he somehow believed them."
So, how do we enable the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. First of all, we must believe, then as Pastor Betsy said, "We must expect it to happen." She related instances of healing that had come about because of the expectation that it would happen.
My friend Ron Harrell talked recently about the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in services he had been involved in over in Africa. He said, the difference in the tremendous outpouring of the Spirit and maybe a lesser flow of the spirit in our stateside churches was because over there they came to the services fully expecting the Holy Spirit to work among them and would not leave until it happened.
There is a book called; "Good Morning, Holy Spirit" (Benny Hinn). The evangelist talks about starting off each day by greeting the Holy Spirit and asking to be filled with the Spirit to do the day's work in a God-pleasing way. Then, watch for great things to happen.
This things will happen if we take a "spirited approach" to our day and we do as Pastor Betsy said: "Expect the Holy Spirit to work in your life."
Prayer: Holy Spirit fill us this day with your wisdom and your love so we may be the best we can be in the Kingdom's work. Amen!
***author's note: Take a spirited approach to life this week and enjoy the fruits of the spirit and God's abundant blessings. J

Deep Sigh Comfort (May 26, 2010) by Jim Crosby

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.           Romans 9:38
Frequently you see Charlie Brown, in the Peanuts comic strip, with one of those little balloons above his head that indicate words or thoughts and it simply says "sigh."
I'm sure you've found yourself taking a deep sigh sometime. Maybe it was inadvertent and you didn't even think about it. Or maybe you sighed because you were pleased with an outcome or simply glad a task was over.
Well, what is a deep sigh anyway. I went to Google to find out and came up with this answer: "In the normal course of events alveoli have a slight tendency to collapse. If you didn't sigh you would get spots of alectasis. Sighs tend to keep them open and working." Thank you John de Witt for that answer. But, what the heck are you talking about anyway. I just thought a deep sigh was a deep breath we take. Never associated any ulterior motive to our body's system with sighing.
Webster says about sighing: "To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual and immediately expel it; to make a single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, sorrow, exhaustion, grief or the like. Hence, to lament."
Look at a Thesaurus and you'll find everything from moaning to snoring as definitions or synonyms for deep sighs. But, I think we are getting a little far afield here.
My Mom, who will be 97 in August, used to give a deep sigh quite frequently. She has always been a get-things-done type of person. And when she could see that a task was finished and she had accomplished all she needed to she would give a deep sigh. It was kind of a low-key expression of satisfaction. an "OK I did it" statement.
I asked the Lovely Susette what she thinks of when she hears the term deep sigh she said either "exasperation or relief."
An example of a sigh as exasperation can be found in Mark 8:11-13. The Pharisees continued to try to trip up Jesus. Testing Him "to see if he was from God, they demanded, Give us a miraculous sign from heaven to prove yourself."
So, instead of calling down a bolt of lightning and striking the sniveling disbelievers dead, Jesus "sighed deeply and said, Why do you people keepedemanding a miraculous sign? I assure you I will not give this generation any such sign."
Jesus refused let them pull His strings like a puppet. He wasn't going to dance to their music and perform miracles at their bidding. His miracles and healing had a purpose behind each one and they certainly weren't just to ensure credibility with a bunch of self-absorbed, ego-driven bureaucrats. He figured they wouldn't be convinced no matter what He did. "So, he got in the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake."
So, obviously a deep sigh can indicate different things from different people. But, most of the time it is an involuntary reaction, seldom a planned result. The Free Dictionary on-line says a sigh is "an utterance made by exhaling audibly." This is somewhat in line with what I had in mind when I started thinking about this topic in the first place.
I associate deep sighs with two thing: either determination or comfort. When I take a deep breath and expel it audibly it is usually because I have taken an "I will not be defeated attitude" toward something. I've just made up my mind that I am not going to let a situation get the best of me or get me down. First comes the sigh; then the action. Well, a little prayer after the sigh and before the action always helps.
The deep sigh of comfort is what I really had in mind when I started writing this. I find that very often when I am reading the Bible a great sense of peace and comfort envelopes me and I just heave a deep sigh. My whole system just relaxes. I feel the stress and tension seeping out and this peaceful feeling taking it's place.
Such a thing occurred this morning as I read from Romans: "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't." Well, if those two biggies can do nothing to diminish God's love for us nothing can. I derive instant comfort...deep sighing comfort...from that.
Sure, I can close the Bible and leave the room to enter a world full of obstacles to that deep-sighing comfort. Those good feelings can get knocked right out of me and be replaced by anger, tension, exasperation and countless other negatives that make it hard to hold on to the peace and comfort I gained earlier.
The good news is I can always return to that. I don't have to have my Bible by my side all the time. I can just recall in my mind: "Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away." It's up to me to choose to return to that promise in my mind and become fortified for the battle and give a deep sigh of comfort. Or I can heave a deep sigh of frustration, become exasperated and give in to the pressure.
Jesus knew he could temporarily take the heat off of Himself by performing a miraculously feat that would shut up the sneering, disbelieving Pharisees. But, He took the high road. He gave a deep sigh of exasperation, which was also a sigh of determination to move on to bigger and better things. He got in the boat and sailed away.
Then, he probably had another deep sigh. This time it was a deep sigh of comfort. He was at peace with Himself, His world and His Heavenly Father.
Prayer: Lord, may our deep sighs this week bring peace and comfort to our hearts. Amen!
  ***author's note: Welcome those deep sighs this week and the good feelings that will follow them.

The Nemesis (May 19, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A city or home divided against itself is doomed. And if Satan is casting out Satan he is fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive...Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.   Matthew 12: 25-26, 30
Nemesis: Anyone or anything, it seems, must inevitably be defeated or frustrated. Synonyms include: downfall, ruin, destruction, undoing, Waterloo, defeat, vanquishment.
"Greek mythology spoke of the nemesis, your mortal enemy. Your nemesis is like you in almost every way, except that he is the ruined version of you. Sherlock Holmes's nemesis was Professor Moriarity, also a brilliant man¾but like Holmes would have been if Holmes had gone wrong." (The Me I Want to Be," John Ortberg).

Who is the nemesis in your life? Do you have one? Hopefully, none of us have a person who is just out to get us. Someone fueled by hatred who wants to destroy us. There are some misguided souls out there , but hopefully no Hitlers are left who just want to destroy people because of hate they harbor in their hearts.

But, all of us do have a nemesis we need to be aware of and guard against. It's someone you know very well. A person who, pretty much, knows everything about you.
In fact, that person is you. Yes, you are your own Professor Moriarity...your own nemesis.

Ortberg writes: "You are your own nemesis, your own biggest problem, because there is a relationship between the best version of you and the worst version of you. What they have in common is that both of them are you." (pg 148)

Wait a minute. You say, "I like me."    Well, at least most of the time you do. But, who is this me that you like? Is it a person who is consistent with way you envision yourself. Or does this nemesis take over at times and make this person you like less likeable?

Yes, the nemesis will take over when we let our guard down. We have what Author Michael Mangis calls "signature sins," These are based on the idea that our lives have certain patterns, relationships, temperaments, and gifts that are unique to each of us.
These are our sin fingerprints. They are ours.. Others might possess these but they may be triggered by different things. Anger for example. What sends one person into a rage might not affect another person with this signature sin in the same way.

But, as Ortberg points out: "We do not get tempted by that which repulses us. Temptation rarely begins by trying to get us to do something that is 180 degrees in the opposite direction of our values. It starts close to home with the passions and desires that God wired into us and tries to pull them a few degrees off course. That subtle deviation is enough to disrupt the flow of the Spirit in our life, so coming to recognize the pattern of sins most tempting to us is one of the most important steps in our spiritual life."
Jesus was well aware of the nemesis within. He says, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and every city or household divided against itself will not stand."

So, the first thing to do is to recognize those things that appeal to you, but are bad for you. Now, I'm not saying we can't ever have any fun. No way we should walk around on eggshells afraid to give in to things that bring pleasure and enhance the best version of ourselves. But, being aware of where certain things lead us and heading them off at the pass is important.

There is a real nemesis out there who would like to co-ordinate with the nemesis within to complicate your life. He wants to work with your Professor Moriarity to make you think that trivial-seeming-sins are okay. Cheat a little here. Tell a small lie there. Associate with bad company, but only for a day. An hour? For lunch? Those do sound insignificant don't they? Things we might not even give a second thought to. But, each time we let our inner nemesis relent and be less vigilant it is easier the next time.

The Pharisees tried to make Jesus out to be a demon-possessed person as an explanation for how he could drive out demons. They came up with all these off-the-wall explanations to try to negate the notion that Jesus was the Son of God...the Messiah who had long been prophesied. Their nemesis was their ego. They didn't want all their sanctimonious teachings to be proved wrong.

So they said the reason Jesus could drive out demons and do miracles was because he was demon-possessed himself. That was where his ability and strength came from, not from God.

Jesus logically shot down their ridiculous notion. He said, "Hey if ‘Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself." Hello. Why would a demon-possessed person drive out demons. Possession...that's what dmons do best. They enter a person's heart and convert that inner nemesis, the one who is like us...who is a part of us...to their way of thinking. Get him/her to do something that seems good and pleasing, but ultimately will divide their loyalties and hurt them

You know what. This may seem too simple of an explanation as to why we do some things that are not good for us. Why we betray the feelings we have that would make us who we want to be and lead us in the wrong direction. But like Ortberg said those temptations seldom if ever are presented in ways or on a course that we are diametrically opposed to. They are subtlety disguised as something pleasing, but will ultimately lead us where we don't want to be and would not have bought into without such a clever disguise.

You can turn your nemesis into your friend by analyzing, praying about and resisting those things that appeal to your signature sin patterns.
  Prayer: Lord, we ask for your help in the battle against our nemesis. We realize our main nemesis resides within and is easily swayed by those outside. So give us the strength and wisdom to resist the appeal to our signature sins.   Amen!
. ***author's note: Look for nemesis-oriented thoughts and feelings this week and root them out. Each time you do that you become stronger and better able to resist the appeal to your signature sins in the future.




First Things First (May 12, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Seems like we are always in a hurry to get where we are going. But, where is that? Just where is it we are in such a rush to get to? We hurry here and hurry there, but where does that get us? Well, it gets us here...and...there!
For the past five weeks the Lovely Susette have been working on a temporary job. It was a worthwhile one. We were doing BMI Testing of Elementary School children in association with a national grant awarded to Florida State University.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. The idea is to test the fitness of these kids, from Kindergarten to 5^th grade by checking height/weight; number of push ups, curlups, sit and reach, they can do. Then having them run a mile...half mile for the younger ones.
This is done in the fall and again in the spring for three-and-a-half years and if followed through on at home with proper nutrition and exercise the results should be very positive. Then, we will be raising a healthier generation of young people.
Anyway back to the rush-rush-rush part. I told someone that it didn't seem to matter if TLS and I started getting ready to go to work at midnight for this job that started at 8:30 a.m. we would still be rushing around at the last minute to get there on time. Driving quickly, just within the speed limit, tension building, stomach sometimes churning, somehow we would get there in time each day.
I was thinking about that and it occurred to me that this happens to us more times than not. How much simpler and less stressful would it be to simply start getting ready a little earlier, drive leisurely and have a few extra minutes when we get there before we start the activity.
If we just put first things first we would initiate a stress free early arrival wherever we are going. One less cup of coffee; fifteen fewer minutes spent reading the newspaper or how about this for a novel idea. Maybe we could get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning.
Today's scripture reading is written in red in my Bible. That means these are the words of Jesus. Okay maybe they have been translated from Hebrew into Greek, maybe even Latin...eventually finding their way to my English language Bible. The important thing is that the thought behind what Jesus said still prevails. It still makes sense today.
He said to seek first the His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you."
Yeah, but what things? Well, the subtitle for this segment of Matthew 6 is: "Jesus Teaches About Worry." He starts his advice in vs. 25 by saying: "So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life---whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing?"
He points out that the birds don't worry about food by trying to store a lot of it away in barns. The lilies of the field don't worry about clothes and look how beautifully they are attired.
He's pointing out the ill effects of worry which can 1) damage your health 2) disrupt your productivity 3) negatively affect the way you treat others and 4) reduce your ability to trust in God (NLT pg 1416)
Jesus says the way to offset worry is to put the Kingdom first. NLT says: "To make the Kingdom of God your primary concern means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern and to serve and obey Him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if you don't actively choose to give him first place in every area of your life."
That may be easier said than done, but I think it is a matter of the way you train yourself to think. I'm far from where I need to be in that regard, but the more I try to remind myself to take everything to God for his advice and wisdom the better able I am to do that. Sure,I take three steps forward and slide back two most of the time. But that still leaves me one step ahead of where I was.
Reading further in the NLT commentary: "Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about to morrow is time wasted. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules and trusting in God's guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worriers, by contrast are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God. Don't let your worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today."
I know there are some of you who make it practice to do this. You are faithful to try to determine where God wants you to go before you take that next step. Nobody has a perfect score at doing this. But, it's like a team who wants to win a championship they have to practice...practice...practice. Even that notwithstanding they are going to lose a few games. That doesn't mean that they won't keep getting better and become the champions. Losses are just temporary setbacks.
So, the more we determine to put first things first and seek out God in all things we do, the better we will become at overcoming those little losses and we will turn them into big victories.
Prayer: Lord help us to overcome those debilitating worries by putting first things first. Amen!
*** author's note: Have a fun week and remember to put first things first.

Coaching Yourself (May 5, 2010) by Jim Crosby

"Quiet." Moses replied. "Why are you arguing with me? Why are you testing the Lord?"       Exodus 17:2
In a recent devotion Dr. Charles Swindoll wrote: "Optimism, courage, and faithfulness feed on high morale. The ability to push on, alone, if necessary, requires clear vision. In order for goals to be reached, there has to be a stirring up from within . . . a spark that lights the fire of hope, telling us to "Get at it" when our minds are just about to convince us with "Aw, what's the use?" It's called motivation."
Have you been there, done that? I sure have. As a writer it is a given that no matter how much you know about writing; despite having a great idea to pursue---super plot or a great theme, whatever. You must push yourself to do it. You've got to sit down and put your fingers to the keyboard and start moving them. You become the coach. Instead of coaching the other players in the game, you coach yourself.
I recently read this statement: "If you are going to call on God to lead you down the path of righteousness you have to move your feet." You can take all that inspiration and motivation, but without the perspiration it ain't gonna get off the ground. That's where coaching yourself comes in. It takes some self-talk, some convincing to get going.
The self-defeating excuses will abound. It's easy to abandon an idea when the negatives start to creep in. This applies to anything you consider worthwhile doing, not just to us struggling writers. "Oh well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but I guess it ain't gonna happen." The minute that kind of thinking starts guess what? You're right it ain't gonna happen.
When things stop flowing along smoothly it is hard not to get discouraged. It's easier to give up. That's the time to take it to the Lord. It is also the time to pause and remember what caused all the optimism in the first place. Recall when you first had the idea to embark on this venture. Revisit how excited and ready to go you were. Think about how you plunged into it and the intial progress you made. Then think again about why you got off track.
The Israelites had experienced one of the greatest of God's miracles when he rescued them from slavery in Egypt. With Pharoah's army in hot pursuit God parted the waters of the Red Sea to enable them to cross to the other side. Then he closed the waters over the entire army, drowning them and ending the chase. Definitely a major high. An all-time act of God to remember which has been preserved in scripture through the ages.
Out in the wilderness it was a different story. Times got tough and the grumbling began. It was easy to forget the love God showed them and the miracle he worked when each day became something to endure rather than to enjoy. So they complained, the griped, they verbally beat up on their leader Moses.
Instead of each person coaching him or herself to be strong and persevere they became a bunch of whiners. OK so the water supply had dwindled. They were thirsty and hungry and dirty and uncomfortable. But, it was easier to complain and become part of the problem rather than praying and asking God for His help.
NLT says; "Again the people complained about their problem instead of praying. Some problems can be solved by careful thought or by rearranging our priorities. Some can be solved by discussion and good counsel. But some problems can be solved only by prayer. We should make a determined effort to pray when we feel like complaining because complaining only raises our level of stress. Prayer quiets our thoughts and emotions and prepares us to listen."
Many times we have been rescued from the doldrums. How soon we forget this when a new frustration enters our life. God is faithful to hear all of our prayers. He's certainly more faithful to hear them than we are to lift them up to Him. But, when we remember to do so, we can pray expectantly because we know our prayers are not falling on deaf ears.
Likewise we forget the enthusiasm with which we have been able to achieve things in the past. The times with great passion we have started and brought an idea, a project, an undertaking or a mission to fruition.
Here's how God handled this latest crisis; the one that had Moses pulling his hair out. Reading verses 5-6: "The Lord said to Moses, "Take your shepherd's staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile. Then call some of the leaders of Israel and walk on ahead of the people. I will meet you by the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock and water will come pouring out . Then the people will be able to drink. Moses did just as he was told and as the leaders looked on, water gushed out."
In his book "Prayer Coach" James Nicodem writes: "Sometimes we forget God is for us. This is especially true when we don't get immediate answers to our prayers. Doesn't God care? More than we know! And that's why we should always pray and not give up."
The first strategy a coach uses is to get his players grounded in the fundamentals. How much more so should our self-coaching strategy be to execute the fundamental strategy of prayer. Asking first if this is something the Lord wants us to pursue. Then understanding that the go-ahead is the go-ahead. He's not telling us to start and then stop. He's not parting the Red Sea or pushing roadblocks aside only to let us get stuck in the wilderness...unless we whine, complain and get bogged down in the mire of self-pity.
He's there to take us on to completion even though the path might be more rugged, there may be some detours, some adjustments may have to be made. If we heard right from the start He will be leading us across the finish line.
It just takes a little self-coaching which brings us back to the fundamentals of a faithful prayer-life.
Monday Prayer: Heavenly Father thank you for being faithful to honor and show favor on our self-coaching efforts. Ground us in the principles of prayer that ensure our success. Amen!
***author's note: OK coaches. You've have your work cut out for you this week. But, you are armed with the greatest weapon with which to win....prayer!

“Haters” (April 28, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Therefore since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1
There's a new buzz word out there. I first encountered it on Facebook. Seems like it's mostly used by college age or young adults. It's usually used as a snappy comeback; kind of a light-hearted name-calling to hit back at a statement or a stance you disagree with. Don't agree with someone on something? Just call them a "hater."
It goes something like this. One person says: "Man, I just can't see how anybody could be a fan of that team." The response would be to simply call that person a "hater."
"I never have thought she was that pretty."    "Hater."
"There sure are a lot of crazy drivers out there."       "Hater."
"I wouldn't waste my time on that book." "Hater."
I think you are getting the drift here. Yes, there is a lot of negativity in the world today. Maybe there always has been and I just seem to notice it more these days. Actually, in all of those manufactured statements I just listed, "hater" is more positive than the opinion that prompted it.
Calling that person "hater" is really kind of a defusing response. It's a light-hearted way of saying..."Hey, is this really all that important?   So, important it has turned you into a hater. Lighten up." At least that's one way of looking at this kind of repartee. I'll admit it has been a long time since I've been college-aged or a young adult, although I try to suppress that idea most of the time while living younger than I am.
But I stopped and tried to think of all the times I use the word "hate" in a conversation. Something happens that annoys me and I say, in a posture of frustration: "I hate that," or more light-heartedly, "I hate it when that happens." I guess that makes me a hater, doesn't it? In a light-hearted vein, yes!
Most of the time when we say that we hate something we really don't. At least not in the truest since of the word. In its true form hate which is the residue of hatred is not a pretty thing. It causes a lot of the tragedies in the world.
When I think of hatred in its ugliest form I think of Hitler and his determination to exterminate much of the human race. It's one of the most tragic examples in history of what being a hater, taken to the extreme, can result in.
Being a hater almost always leads to take action if it's true hate, not just some light-hearted comment. The only way to defuse hatred is through peace with God. When we have peace in our hearts it is hard to hate.
The NLT commentary says: "We now have peace with God which may differ from peaceful feelings such as calmness and tranquility." This kind of peace goes deeper. It's capable of defusing and eventually wiping out hatred.
Reading further, "Peace with God means that we have been reconciled with Him. There is no more hostility between us, no sin blocking our relationship with Him. Peace with God is possible only because Jesus paid the price for our sins through His death on the cross."
Sometimes we don't even understand why we hate something. But, actually hating it can be turned into something positive. Listen to what Paul writes in Romans 7. "The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law, but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. I don't understand myself at all for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well what I am doing is wrong and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But, I can't help myself because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things."
That hits home with me, doesn't it with you? There are times when we just are determined, despite our best intentions in doing the right thing, to make a mess of things and do what we shouldn't. In our heart, we know that a certain action we are about to take is wrong, or not the best trail to travel down. Yet, we do it anyway. And guess what? It does not turn out well. Usually we regret it.
Paul says, "It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right. I inevitably do what is wrong. " Sound familiar? The old "devil made me do it scenario."
So what do we do about that? The sin, the desire, the want-to is stronger than we are. I'm not talking about some major, or heinous crime. Not murder, rape, robbery, fraud, those kinds of things. They require the same solution, but faith has a battle on its hands to win out over those. Most of them would have to be rooted out earlier, before a person descended into the warped mind-set to commit them.
But, the little things...the small, wrong-to-do things...are the ones that disrupt our peace, change our hearts, and take us in the wrong direction. They are the ones we need to be aware of and nip-in-the-bud. We must become haters of these and that will help us win out.
Paul says, "...you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do." But, when we do give in, it does not mean that we are not true believers. It doesn't mean we are doomed. It just means we lost the battle that day. " It ain't over 'til it's over." We can still win the war! We have the ultimate destructive force that can wipe out all those mistakes, revamp and revitalize our thinking and transform our hearts. We will have been tested and we will have won over the harmful things that would bring us down. We will pick ourselves up, dust off our clothes and head in the right direction, led by a force stronger than evil.
That's what happens when we become haters of the things in our life that are wrong!
Prayer: Lord, help us to not only to become haters of wrong thinking and wrongful deeds, but with the help of the Holy Spirit to take action and eradicate them. Amen!
***author's note: Become a hater of the things that are bad and your life will receive new energy, wisdom and success in what's important. H

Casting Your Net- April 21, 2010 (by Jim Crosby)

At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn't see who he was. He called out, "Friends, have you caught any fish?" ‘No they replied. Then, He said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get plenty of fish. So they did and they couldn't draws in the net because there were so many fish in it." John 21-4-6
Have you experienced a time where you read something on a particular subject that you really hadn't thought much about. Then sometime later you come across another reference to it. Still later you are talking with someone or involved in a group discussion and the same thing comes up again? It's like, what's happening here? Is there a message here for me? Something I should be doing? What's up?
I have found, on occasion, that for some reason I am directed to a verse of scripture or a Bible story. I read it, think about it and move on. But, I don't really move on because sometime later the same story gets brought up again. After awhile I encounter a reference to the same story somewhere else. So it becomes obvious that God really wants me to get it. There is something in that story that I am supposed to hear and heed.
Take this past weekend for example, I was involved in a class in "Advanced Preaching" which would enable me to renew my Lay Speaker certification for three more years. So, I'm good through 2013 and can go concentrate on other projects.
Anyway, in this course I had to prepare a 10 minute talk on the story in John 21 and chose to focus on the fishing story. Then I decided that would make a good devotional topic. As it turns out it was one of the lectionary scriptures, so on Sunday our guest speaker at Good Samaritan Church , Reverend Karen Pellett spoke on it again. Hello! Lord are you trying to tell me something?
In the story seven of the disciples were out fishing. This had been prompted by Peter's unsettled state of mind. Jesus was back and Peter was happy about that, but he was still carrying around the burden of his betrayal. So he had to go fishing. Had to get in the boat, out on the water where he felt most comfortable.
But, instead of a relaxing venture this excursion was proving to be stressful. They had fished all night and hadn't caught a thing. There are some guys I know who wouldn't think that was a bad thing. They go out there just for the peace and quiet and if a fish bites their hook then they have to stop being a slug and take the doggone fish off the hook. But, these disciples really did want to catch some fish.
Now if they were fishing, with no luck, all night they would have tried everything? Don't you think they would have thrown that net on each side of the boat many times. By, the time Jesus called out to them from the shore they were a little frustrated.
But when he suggested that they cast the net back on the right side of the boat again, they didn't question it. It was only a minor adjustment. Jesus wasn't asking them to do something hard. Didn't even have to move to another part of the lake. Just change the position of the net because the time was right. It was in God's time they did it and the success they achieved by following His instruction was remarkable. Caught so many fish they couldn't haul the net in.
The point of that story, one I felt was directed to me is that sometimes the Lord will ask us to do something small, make a minor adjustment and if we trust Him and do it dramatic results can be achieved.
Recently, I had an example of that in my life. The Lovely Susette wanted me to go to an art show with her . It was at a club called " The Moon" and was on a Saturday night. I balked, the old automatic "no" kicked in. But, for some reason I relented and went. Probably because I wanted to be with her...not stuck at home by myself.
As we were wandering around, looking at the junk...uh, art...I bumped into a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and we chatted about what was going on in our lives. A few years back he had hired me to do some writing for the Osceola newspaper.
Well, I had been carrying the notes for a book idea around with me in boxes for about a decade. It was a compilation of FSU Coach Bill Peterson's funny sayings.   Pete has been called "The Yogi Berra of Football because of all the malapropisms he had become famous for.
The book had just been rejected by a New York publisher. A Senior Editor liked it, but the company had more than one senior editor. The others weren't too hot on the idea. So back in the box went the book to be carried around through four different move and was now sitting in the garage.
But, when I told Jerry, who now works for the Seminole Boosters, about it his eyes lit up and he said "we might be interested in helping you with that." So, to shorten the story and make the point. the book "You Can't Become a Football Overnight" came out the first week in April. And God's timing was perfect. It didn't get published for a decade, but it did get published in 2010, the year Florida State will celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Coach Pete's first year which will draw more attention to it. As always God's timing was perfect.
Let me suggest to you that based on this scripture, God may be asking you only to do one minor thing. It may not take a major alteration of what you are doing in life. You don't have to completely reinvent yourself. Change everything. Just do the simple thing that Jesus is asking you to do...cast your net or your problems on the right side of the boat..at the right time. That's the key. At the right time. Then, you free up the Lord to work out some really great things in your life that were being blocked by doing the same old things or fearing change.
By doing that now¾ looking for the one simple adjustment God wants you to execute¾ you could initiate some dramatic changes in your life.
Prayer: Lord, we want to be open to you and to those adjustments you ask us to make, so we may enjoy a full measure of your grace and love. Amen!
***author's note: It's exciting when you get that message, make the change, and see all the great things God can do in your life. Have a great week.



God’s Timing (April 14, 2010) by Jim Crosby

And I am sure that God, who began the good work with in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. Philippians 1:6
I was standing there looking around, listening and enjoying the moment. Within a two-block radius two bands were playing. There were booths, food, drinks and excitement every way you turned. It was a great people-watching venue. Yes, almost all of them were wearing Garnet and Gold which made it nice especially if you were set up to sell a book that was rooted in the history of the local school-Florida State University.
I turned to the booth where my book was displayed and once again was humbled and thankful. I saw the smiles of The Lovely Susette and our friend pastor Betsy who were helping me get the word out about the new book called: "You Can't Become a Football Overnight."
Then, I just had to stop and think about how all this came about. I'd carried those notes for this book around in boxes for about a decade, through four location moves and many different circumstances. I'd nursed the idea for the book which documents a story in the football past of FSU even longer.
The book features the funny sayings of Coach Bill Peterson, the master of malapropism. He has often been called the "Yogi Berra of football" as his "Petersonisms" rival the "Yogi-isms" made famous by the New York baseball catcher.
Although Coach Pete misspoke frequently, he was a brilliant football strategist and a good man. From putting a football program on the National map, to filling the role of president of his Sunday School class, Pete was passionate in all the things he did.
This is what I wanted to capture in the book. Things that endeared him to the public...like the time he was going to lead his football team in prayer before they took the field to play Miami. He said, "Men, bow your heads while I lead you in the Lord's Prayer. Then he began, ‘Now I lay me down to sleep,' realizing the mistake he had made he turned quickly to Red Dawson, one of the more unlikely players to lead in that prayer and said, ‘Red, you take it.'"
For lack of a publisher, this book had languished in file-obscurity until about five years ago when I extracted it, polished it up and sent it to a New York publisher where the Senior Editor loved it. Alas, he could not "sell" his editorial committee on it, so it was returned to the battered boxes from whence it came.
Then, last year, I reluctantly accompanied The Lovely Susette to an art show and there I bumped into an old friend who worked for the University. Somehow I was inspired to tell the tale of the book to him. Amazingly, he took it and ran with it and worked with me to get it published.
So, what was running through my mind on this exciting day as I signed copies of the book for folks was how I continue to be amazed at God's timing and how He works things out. I can see now the reason the book didn't fly earlier. God had a better plan.
This year just happens to be the 50^th anniversary of Bill Peterson's first year at Florida State University. It was a historic time because it not only made positive changes in a football program, but greatly influenced not only the direction of the entire university, but brought a renewed, positive focus to the city of Tallahassee as well. So, God's plans for me included bringing out this book at a meaningful time in which the anniversary celebration would extend throughout the year. It would also initiate some Peterson-teams reunions during the up-coming season.
Recently I was reading in Philippians and came across this scripture:
And I am sure that God, who began the good work with in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. Philippians 1:6
It caused me to think about the way God works in a person's life. I also recalled a recent sermon by Pastor Betsy in which she said "God is always working in your life." Even though we don't realize it at the moment, each circumstance, event, even the thoughts we entertain, will be used to do his work in our lives.
Everything we experience is meaningful and can be used by God. In his book "Everything Belongs" Richard Rohr writes: "...meaning is not created, it is discovered."
You see that's the way God does it. He lets us discover meaning in all these things that happen to us. They don't happen by accident. They are part of a bigger plan even though they seem like small potatoes to us.
With the freedom He gave us to make our own choices, we sometimes choose wrongly. Ego comes into play. Desires rush us into bad decisions. We get in jams and wonder how we can ever extract ourselves
But as Rohr says, "everything belongs." God doesn't throw away anything, He uses it all. But, Gosh we sure do complicate his work sometimes. The great thing is that He can handle it. He's God. And the even greater thing is he has a better plan.
That's why we should never give up on our dreams, no matter how long they have remained unfulfilled and how hopeless their attainment might seem at times. God's working on ‘em. They might not unfold just like you expected, but I'm pretty sure you are going to like the end result when you put your trust in God and openly and honestly try to understand where His next step is leading you and which trail you should take.
So, if you are like me and become discouraged because of rejection in your life, don't give up. God might be leading you away from the bright lights and sizzle of a NY publishing company to a Grand 50^th Celebration of a life and history-changing times. And that's an even greater celebration. God's plan triumphs again.
God bless you!
Prayer: Lord be with us each day and help us to gain a better understanding as to how your plan is unfolding in our lives. Amen!
***Exciting times are what you allow God to make them. Seek His plan daily in your life.




The Sharpest Crayon (April 7, 2010) by Jim Crosby

When Jesus finished telling these stories....they said. "We had no ideas He was this good. How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down."We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son...Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint.    Matthew 13:54-57 (The Message)
Hey, I may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but I'm one of the most colorful.That's my outlook...my take on things. I didn't say I was THE most colorful, but I wouldn't rule that out. The fact is you don't have to be the sharpest or the most colorful to get a lot done or to stand out amongst all those others.
It seems one thing we are prone to do in our lives is to make comparisons. This can be deadly when it comes to fulfilling aspirations. You are always going to be able to find someone who can do a certain thing better than you, has on a nicer outfit, makes more money, tells funnier jokes, whatever. Forget about it. Don't mean a thing.
You can be a shining jewel on your own. You can do your own thing, be the best you can be and it will turn out great. It's the little things we do that pile up and become good things. Charles Marcus (selfgrowth.com) is a professional speaker, trainer and facilitator. He has some valid points concerning how to stand out from the crowd.
His eight ways of doing that begin with:
1) Follow-up: It doesn't matter if it's a business matter or a personal request or contact. Once you initiate it, then follow up on it. There are too many quitters out there. Marcus says surveys reveal that in business 67% do not follow up.
2) Respond to messages people leave for you: I wonder how many times we miss out on something good simply because we don't follow up on a message that was left. Sometimes we may rule out something worthwhile by not finding out what's up. How many important relationships do we miss out on this way.
3) When speaking to folks give them 100% of your attention. How annoying is it when someone is talking to you and they are looking around and obviously have an agenda that does not feature you as a priority. Develop listening skills. Dale Carnegie says "To be interesting to other people, you have to be interested in them first."
4) Get into the habit of sending a hand written note or card to someone who has given you an order, a referral, or provided you some pleasurable moments. Try it. You'll find it makes you stand out and you will be appreciated.
5) People expect the expected from you, so do the unexpected. Even if you didn't get the desired result thank that person. Take a little different approach to make someone feel good. Just be different!
6) Get involved. If you belong to a church, an association, a club, a group don't just sit around being a member. Don't do something mainly because you expect to get something back. Involve yourself because there's work to be done and you can make a difference.
7) Invest in yourself. Take at least an hour a day to devote to your own personal and professional development. Read something motivational or instructional, exercise, talk with someone who is successful doing things you admire and respect and would like to model. Never stop learning, no matter what your age is. You can always get better.
8) Stretch your comfort zone. Take some chances. Don't fear rejection. Nobody is perfect. Marcus quotes his former boss" "Do you want to stay safe and be good, or do you want to take a chance and be great."
Appearance-wise you might not have thought that Jesus was the sharpest or the most colorful crayon in the box. No description I have read of Him called him "handsome." His style was not to dazzle people intentionally with dynamic oratory. He was definitely presenting some radical ideas, at least as far as what people were used to hearing. But, he certainly stood out in the crowd.
Working miracles, exorcising demons, healing, raising from the dead, turning water into wine...that's one that certainly drew some attention. But, mostly he presented a simple message grounded in love and made people think about their lives. He told parables that caused them to reflect on where they were and more importantly where they were going.
Not so in his own hometown of Nazareth. Even though the wisdom and the logic of what Jesus was saying impressed the townsfolk they couldn't get past the fact that he was just one of them. They thought they knew him, but they didn't.
In his book "The Leadership Secrets of Jesus" Mike Murdock writes: "Rejection is not fatal. It is merely someone's opinion. Jesus experienced more rejection than any human who ever lived on earth. He was born in a stable. Born as an outcast in society. His own people rejected Him. John wrote: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not (John 1:11) Jesus knew that critics died, but His plan was eternal."
Babe Ruth, was the home run king for many years. He was known as the Sultan of Swat and became famous for the prodigious blasts he hit out of ballparks. But, Babe had more strikeouts than any players in his era. He kept on stepping into the batter's box and taking that risk. He could look foolish swinging that big bat and connecting with nothing but air or he could bring out the oohs-and-aahs by solidly bashing one of those high, majestic clouts that left the stadium. He wasn't afraid to risk striking out consequently he hit more home runs than anyone.
So, you really don't have to be the sharpest crayon in the box to stand out and make a major contribution to mankind. It's all right to be sharp. It also can be good if you are the most colorful. I like that. Or you don't have to be either. Just one of those huddled together, who when taken out add their own special hue to the page.
So, what is my favorite crayon color? It's "Burnt Sienna." Now how colorful is that? :)
Prayer: Lord we thank you for giving us the ability to stand out by standing up for you no matter if we are not the sharpest or most colorful crayon in the box.   Amen.
***author's note: Go out and color the world in your favorite shade this week. J

Stormy Weather (March 31, 2010) by Jim Crosby

A furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other. " Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!"      Mark 4:37-41.
A fellow named anonymous once said: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." Ain't that the truth?
Weathering storms is something we must do to survive in this world. There are physical storms and mental ones. Storms of nature and storms of human nature. If you are alive...you will face storms in life at some time.
John quotes Jesus as saying: "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world." (John 16:32-33)
Think about it. What are some of the storms you have survived in your lifetime? If you ever sat through and came out unscathed in a hurricane or tornado you certainly remember that time with disturbing clarity. You also remember, with thankfulness how you came through it.
Then there are the psychological storms. The events or circumstances in your life that cause you great mental consternation. Worrisome things that, at the time, you wonder how you will ever get through them and that makes you worry even more. When you reflect on those stormy times of the past, usually you remember how you survived it or how scary things were looking while you were battling your way through. Seldom do you recall all the useless, needless worry that preceded it.
"It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls." (Bruce Barton, American Congressman, 1886-1967) Often worrying over the small things takes more of a toll than actually going through and surviving the actual event that succeeded all the worry.
Richard Carlson, Ph.D, in his mega-best seller "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff" writes "Often we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren't really that big a deal. We focus on little problems and concerns and blow them way out of proportion."
As believers we know that prayer is our most powerful weapon to be used in stormy times. We've called on the Lord in tough times before and He has always been faitful to answer the call. Still we get so overwrought that we forget that in these tempestuous times until the storm threatens to get out of control.
The disciples had witnessed Jesus performing miracles...healing a paralyzed man; also a man with a deformed hand. They had heard him addressing the large crowds that followed him. They had listened to the parables and marveled at his wisdom. Still their faith and belief seemed to waver at times.
When they faced a real storm and their lives were in danger the panic that seized them squeezed out all remembrances of Jesus as a miracle worker. They woke him up and chastised him for sleeping while their lives were in danger.
We, like the disciples, can lapse into worry when some dangerous situation occurs and forget the power that lies within our reach, They had the master storm-tamer right their in the boat with them. He was asleep because he had no fear. He was in control. They should have known this.
So, Jesus was a little upset, when in a state of panic, they awakened him. He wasn't angry because they interrupted his sleep. Moreso it was because of their lack of faith that he would not let them drown.
NLT says, "When you feel like panicking, confess your need for God and then trust Him to care for you. The disciples lived with Jesus, but they underestimated him. They did not see that His power applied to their very own situation. Jesus has been with his people for 20 centuries, and yet we, like the disciples, underestimate His power to handle crises in our lives. The disciples did not yet know enough about Jesus. We cannot make the same excuse."
Despite their lapse of faith the disciples watched in amazement as Jesus calmed the storm. Then, he voiced his disappointment in them. Did they still not know who he was? Couldn't they comprehend his mission and what He was calling them to do? Apparently not.
The Quest Study Bible says: "Jesus doesn't promise we'll never face fearful circumstance. Instead, He teaches that God is greater than whatever we are facing and that He is in control. Faith means trusting that we never face dangers alone. Knowing God is present keeps fear from paralyzing us."
We can study God's word, pray daily, go to church, attend small group studies and still forget all this and panic in times of trouble. That's what all this studying and devotion to God's word is about...knowing that He is always with us. Building and developing our relationship with Him, while understanding that He is with us all the time. That He loves us and is not just waiting to correct and judge us. He is available and wants to help us, but He won't butt in and invite himself to a party that he is not welcome to.
The disciples didn't yet know enough about Jesus to fully understand his power. We can't say the same thing. We know how He can change lives. Therefore, instead of fighting to survive the storms of life, when we trust him we'll go dancing in the rain.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for calming the storms in our life. Keep us strong in the faith knowing you are always there to help us. Amen!
***author's note: Hopefully it will be a calm, storm-free week for you. If not you know who is available to calm those storms. Have a great one.

Trouble Will Pass (March 24, 2010) by Jim Crosby

So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather we look forward to what we have not yet see. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.    2 Corinthians 4:18
The trouble with trouble is it pretty much just takes over. When you've got trouble, big or small, it seems to just blot out and take precedence over everything else. It's hard to get it out of your mind until a resolution is reached. It hardly ever goes away on it's own.
The problem is trouble can't even make up it's own mind what it is. It can be a verb or a noun. As a verb it can mean: "to cause mental agitation, to worry; harass; perturb or vex." Trouble as a noun is a state of mental distress; worry; a misfortune; calamity; or a mishap.
So trouble you can encounter trouble as noun and be immersed in an all consuming state of it or be whacked by it as a verb and get knocked into a state of trouble by some blow. I'm sure you can think of times in your life when you thought: "Uh,oh I'm in trouble now." Or "That looks like big trouble to me."
In 2^nd Corinthians the Apostle Paul wrote about overcoming trouble. Now if it was anyone who was familiar with trouble it was Paul. He had been imprisoned, stoned, shouted down, run out of town even bitten by a snake, hi Chapter 4 he says; "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going."
Once I read that you are not a loser if you get knocked down. It's only when you stay down that you lose. As long as you keep getting up and don't let trouble keep you down you've got a chance.
Paul was trying to keep the church he had helped established at Corinth on the right track. Corinth was a major cosmopolitan city, a seaport and major trade center. There was lots of trouble to be gotten into in Corinth. Paul had already written three letters to the Corinthians. According to the NLT Bible two of them are now lost. In 1^stCorinthians, which was the second of these letters he was emphatic in his teaching and correction. NLTsays, "Most of the church had responded hi the right spirit." But, there were some who were questioning Paul's motives and authority. So he was now writing to encourage them to keep the faith.
It was a tough letter to write because first he had to reestablish his credentials in it. In 2 Cor 2:17 he says: "You see, we are not like those hucksters-and there are many of them-who preach just to make money. We preach God's message with sincerity and with Christ's authority. And we know that the God who sent us is watching us."
He also told them that some people have to bring letters of recommendation when they come to them, but "the only letter of recommendation we need for you is ourselves."
Paul was going to visit the Corinthians again so he was trying to head off as much trouble as he could before he got there. Lots of false teachers had been trying to undo his previous work with the young church and he wanted to repair as much of that in his letter as he could. He was trying to head off as much trouble as he could ahead of time. That way he could spend his time teaching instead of rebuilding when he went he returned.
Sometimes people have short memories. The new "hot" idea or event expunges the older, more established one in their minds. That's when trouble rears it's ugly head. They forget how rational and fulfilling the old ideas were. They opt for something new.
I remember when I worked in radio advertising sales years ago. I had a core of clients on my list who got great results from then- advertising programs. We initially sat down together, analyzed who their customers were and how we could create the best advertising message to reach them. And month after month our creative approach worked. There business was profitable and their advertising strategy was largely responsible.
But, sometimes I would go in to plan the next advertising program and they would say "I don't think I'm going to advertise on radio this month."
"Whoa. Wait a minute. Your radio advertising has been working for you, hasn't it?
"Well, yeah."
"I've always given you the lowest rates because you've been a loyal customer haven't I?"
"Yep. No complaints. You've been great?"
"Well, what's up?"
"I just want to try something different. Think I'm gonna do a little TV this month."
Made no sense to me why they would change from something that was proven to work and experiment with another medium. Maybe they just wanted to see their face in a TV commercial, I don't know. Not that TV wouldn't work to and that they shouldn't try it. But, using it in connection with their radio ads not instead of them could probably work even better. Most advertising pros realize that a good advertising mix works best and welcome the use of other mediums by their clients.
This is not what Paul was experiencing. Those false teachers were trying to stamp out what he had taught all together. They were trouble. They had everyone confused and fearful.
So, Paul's message, which is still a good one for us today, was not to "look at the trouble they could see in front of them right now, but rather look forward to what has not been seen. Then, those troubles would pass and the joy that would come from accepting the gospel message would bring even greater joy. And that joy would last forever."
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for the assurance that you are with us always especially in times of trouble. These will pass and joy will overcome them. Amen!
***author's note: You may not have a trouble-free week, but it will be a good one when you give those troubles to the Lord.

Small Beginnings (March 17, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand.        Zechariah 4:10
"Bigger and more beautiful is not always better. What you do for God may seem small and insignificant at the time, but God rejoices in what is right." (NLT)
Each day we begin again. We have a fresh 24-hours. Sure, we may have some carry-over from yesterday. This may be good or not so good. The nightmare, the unresolved problem, the dilemma concerning what the proper solution is might have lingered on. Or the smile that returns to our face may be the result of a very pleasant day or evening. Something remembered that was fun, or uplifting or productive and very satisfying.
No matter what there is still a new day ahead. How will we handle it? What we are going to do with it is up to us. Sure we all want to fashion bigger and more beautiful accomplishments, but those don't spring full-blown in our lives with minimal effort. The longest journey begins with one step. OK, enough with the clichés, already, Jim.
But it is true that no matter how far along we are in our accomplishments, personal growth, or attention to a project each day it will still be a brand new day. We will be doing stuff, saying things, thinking thoughts that are new for that day even if they come with a residue or carry-over from the past 24 hours.
Something that looked like it was going to be big and beautiful can go up in smoke because of what happens today. Another circumstance that appeared hopeless could rise from the ashes today because of your efforts or some new information or assistance that comes your way.
The point is that all things start with small beginnings. The germ of an idea blossoms into a beautiful picture...a great event, reunion, achievement or something of lasting value.
One day the Prophet Zechariah, who was one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament, was given an assignment by God. It would be his job to encourage the people. Lucky guy! Dealing in positives. Many of the prophets were charged with giving straighten-up-and-fly-right messages. They had to deliver gloom-and-doom decrees to try and shock or threaten people to return to their senses, acknowledge and follow the commandments of the one True God. These folks had strayed from the reality of Who had brought them out of slavery and was still watching over them.
The Jews in Jerusalem had returned from their captivity in Babylon to rebuild God's temple. Zechariah's message to them went beyond encouraging them to dedicate to God all they were doing, but as the NLT says: "Besides encouragement and hope, Zechariah's messages were also a warning that God's messianic Kingdom would not begin as soon as the Temple was completed."
He talked about the Great Deliverer, The Messiah who would come. But, in the details of his prophecy we find references to the life of Christ that were written 500 years before their fulfillment. NLT says, "Read and stand in awe of our God, who keeps his promises."
Even though Zechariah had no way of knowing it would be 500 years before fulfillment of his prophecy would be realized he still was constrained to prepare the people for small beginnings. They would be starting over after rebuilding the temple. They shouldn't expect that once that job was completed everything was going to be hunky-dory. There would still be struggles and problems to overcome. But, now they would be able to look back and measure where they had come from against where they were now. Each small beginning would lead to better things.
The book of Zechariah is divided into two parts. The first eight chapters include Zechariah's messages to the people while they were rebuilding the temple. He encouraged them to work hard, remain true to God and stay free from hypocrisy, superficiality and sin.
In the night visions the prophet had he saw a man sitting on a red horse amongst the myrtle trees in a small valley. There were other horses...one brown, one white and another red horse each with their own rider. " The horses and their colors were symbols of God's in the governments of the world."
The angel told Zechariah: "The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own." This was comforting news. God was willing to forgive the people for their dis-loyalty and bring them back into the fold. He was still in charge and he wasn't happy with some of the other governments and nations that had come into power.
His instructions were: Shout this message for all to hear: "My love for Jerusalem is passionate and strong.   But, I am very angry with the other nations that enjoy peace and security.. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations punished them far beyond my intentions." God was mad and He wasn't going to take it any more. But, he was offering his people a reprieve and a new beginning.
The second half of the book contained Zechariah's messages after completing the temple. Here he prophesied the first and second comings of Jesus Christ. "Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph. Look your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey---even on a donkey's colt." An obvious foretelling of the Palm Sunday extravaganza welcoming Jesus in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem 500 years later.
So, the people were encouraged to make new, but small beginnings thereby giving God something to work with. Those small beginning may seem insignifcant, even unimportant, but God will use even the most meager start to achieve great things.
Prayer: Lord please take our small beginnings, use them and make them into something beyond even our greatest expectations. Amen!
***author's note: May all your small beginnings develop into something special this week! Blessings! -Jim-

The Moviegoer’s Bible ( March 10, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Some men came bringing a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of them (the crowd) they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying one. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son your sins are forgiven."    Mark 23-5
All right bring out the popcorn, the soda and the chocolate candy bars. It's time to go to the movies. You must have all those goodies before you can watch a movie don't you? That's what The Lovely Susette tells me anyway. By the way, have you checked out the price of concessions at your local theater lately? Yikes! You almost have to take out a loan to buy those after you've bought your ticket.
Anyway, the Academy Awards ceremonies were held this past Sunday evening. I always watch those on television. Sometimes when I drag off to bed with tired, bleary-eyes and have to get up early the next morning, I wonder whatever possessed me to stay up to the bitter end.   I've been doing this for so many years now you'd think I would remember how boring parts of the show are. Also, how put off I am when some actors think they can use the podium to make a political statement.
Still, I enjoy the glitz and glitter. The recognition of excellence in the various tasks required to make a movie is intriguing to me. TLS and I are probably among the very few, who go to the theater, watch the movie, then sit all the way through the closing credits after the movie ends. Those credits go on for a while. In fact, the parking lot is cleared out by the time we get out there.
I'm always amazed at how many people it takes to make a movie. The actors and actresses, director and film editor just barely scratch the surface of all those folks required to complete a movie. There are always hundreds of names on the closing credits. They pass by on the screen so quickly you can't focus on one name too long or you miss the others. But, we like to watch them to see if we can discern any recognizable names, or which songs and song writers were involved, and the locations where various scenes were shot and myriad other interesting tidbits contained within the lengthy list of credits.
We always make a mad rush to see some of the pictures nominated for the Best Picture award. This year we had seen four (Avatar, Crazy Heart, Up in the Air, and The Blindside). In previous years that would have been all but one of the ones nominated. This year they changed it, however, and nominated 10 pictures.
Being an author, I am particularly interested in movies that were adapted from books for the screen. Three of the four we saw fit that category this year.
When we watch a movie we become immersed in the lives of the characters. We feel what they are feeling so intensely that it is almost as if it is happening to us. The better the acting, the greater affect it has on us.
That's why I was interested to read John Ortberg's view that you should read the Bible the way you watch a movie. He proposes that we pick a character out of the particular scripture we are reading and try to see the entire scene or story from that person's point of view.
Researcher Ellen Langer has studied how our minds work and found that we learn best when we view a situation from several perspectives when we see novel information being presented. So as we read a Bible story, especially one we have read many times before it's good to change our perspective and see what we may have missed in other readings. Is there more in the story than we realized?
I've heard people say, "You know I bet I've read that verse of scripture 50 times in my life and that's the first time I ever noticed that" or "I never thought about it in that way before." I've experienced that also. I always thought that God just reveals certain things to us as we are ready to understand and use them. The reason we didn't perceive this particular slant before is we might not have matured enough at that point. Or our life circumstances might have been in conflict with or blocking the lesson that would best fit our lives.
I think one way to gain additional wisdom and have more revealed to us is to focus our mind on a different person or character in a Bible story. For example, you've probably read the story in Mark 2:1-10 of Jesus healing the paralytic whose four friends lowered him through the roof. Usually you might consider of the paralytic's plight, or focus on Jesus and how he healed the man and wow-ed the crowd.
Read it again and put yourself in the place of one of the four men. Maybe the one who first heard Jesus was coming to town. Think of his relationship with the paralytic. Think of how he helped the others find a way to get the man to Jesus even overcoming the logistics of the over-crowded room. Put yourself in his mind. What was he thinking as they lowered the man. Was he apprehensive? Worried? Scared? What did he feel as he saw Jesus confronting the teachers of the law before he healed the man. Then, put yourself in his place as he saw his friend healed. Doesn't the story seem more important? Larger? More dramatic when you look at it that way?
Or maybe you want to cast yourself in this movie in a minor role. Say...you are a women sitting on the dirt floor next to Jesus. All of a sudden part of the thatched roof starts falling in and straw floats down and settles in your hair. You are startled in a what-the-heck-is-happening-sort-of-way. Then view the story through her eyes. What she would be thinking. Was she annoyed at the interruption? Amazed at the loyalty and boldness of the friends? Impressed by the way Jesus handled the whole thing. Would this affect her thinking about Jesus when later events took place?
That's what I call a Moviegoers Bible. We have King James, New International, The Message, New Living Translation, Amplified, New Revised Standard, Sports Devotional, Archaeological and numerous other translations of the Bible. Why not a Moviegoers Version?
The only difference is you don't have to go out and buy a new Bible to have a Moviegoers Bible. Just use the one you have and reprogram your mind the next time you read scripture so you put yourself in a different person's sandals. I feel confident you will come up with an Academy Award Winning performance. :)

Monday Prayer: Lord there are so many ways you can speak to us through your word. Help us to stay excited about discovering new aspects and nuances in the scriptures that you may communicate with us even more deeply and meaningfully. Amen.

***author's note: There are so many dimensions and nuances contained within the covers of your Bible you have merely scratched the surface. Happy reading! :)

Stinkin’ Thinkin’- March 3, 2010 (by Jim Crosby)

Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2
You say, "OK, I'm going to sit down and think great thoughts."   You try, but your mind is a blank. Or it drifts back to the same old things you've been thinking about and most of those are negative. Perhaps, you start with elevated thinking and somehow you get blocked, you lose your focus, or you simply say this is too hard, I can't do it. So you drift back into that old "stinking thinking."
Stinking thinking has become a buzz word in psychotherapy these days because that arena is one that concentrates on what our mind is really up to and looks for ways to turnaround negative thinking.
When you look in a mirror in the morning do you see what is wrong or what is right about your appearance? "Oh boy, I look like the wrath of God has descended on me today." Even you may not fully believe that little personal assessment, but the fact that it entered your self-talk does not put a positive spin on the approach you are taking to get your day started.
But, if you take a glance in the mirror before you start out and say, "Wow the shade of blue in my blouse really brings out my attractive blue-green eyes." That assessment makes you smile and instantly feel good about yourself as you head out.
A lot of what we accomplish has to do with our mindset. If we lapse into stinking thinking we just throw up another obstacle to overcome. There are enough problems out there to deal with without us creating our own. Oops, sorry a little stinking thinking just crept in. See how easily that happens! Thinking about the problem and imagining our
inability to solve it, rather than taking an "I can do that" attitude that focuses on how good...how resourceful...how smart you really are.
In an earlier devotion I implored all of us to "think about what we are thinkin' about." The purpose was to identify, head off and eradicate those negative thoughts before they take hold and become a habit. Avoiding or at least recognizing that stinking thinking is a way to overcome that "thinking problem."
David Burns, M.D., identifies some stinkers you may recognize:
1) All-or nothing: Boy that's a trap we can fall into. It's a black and white category type of thing. If I can't get it done this way...I lose. My way or the highway thinking.
2) Overgeneralizaion: Seeing one negative experience or disappointment as a never-ending pattern of defeat that you feel will be replicated over and over.
3) Mental Filter: Picking out one negative occurrence and dwelling on it. Just bringing it up or referring to it over and over.
4) Discounting the Positive: Reject positive achievements by saying "Yeh, but..."
Minimizing the good.
5) Jumping to conclusions: Automatically interpreting something as negative without proof that it is.
6) Magnification: Exaggerating importance of a problem or shortcoming and minimizing your desirable qualities and abilities to overcome it.
7) Emotional Reasoning: Assuming that your negative emotions are the way things really are.
8) Should Statements: Even if you do something well, you feel you made too many mistakes or you could or should have done it better...if only!
9) Labeling: Dr Burns says this is an extreme form of all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of saying "Oops, I made a mistake." You say, "Man, I'm just a loser." Or "I am sooo stupid."
10) Personalization and Blame: Holding yourself personally responsible for something that really wasn't entirely under your control.
Any of those sound familiar? Join the club. I think most of us have been victimized by some of those stinking thinking examples. I don't bring them up to point a finger, accuse you or make you feel bad. But, if we look at categories of stinking thinking and understand them for what they are, the next time we are depressed or feeling bad because of some thoughts that have sneaked into our mind...maybe even took the old "sub-conscious entrance without our realizing it...then we can recognize and control or eliminate them.
Paul wants us to let God transform us into the kind of person He desires¾the one we want to be; i.e. "the best version of ourself (see dev. on 2-22-10). In Romans 12:2 the apostle exhorts us to "let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."
We all have room for improvement. And we have the ability to get better, but as John Ortberg says: "The real challenge is between our ears." He says the way to be the best is to "think great thoughts."
OK how do we do that? Well, when a negative thought creeps in. The smile leaves our face and is replaced by a frown so we can recognize it and maybe even identify it as falling into one of those stinking thinking categories.
When we do discern what it is and where it is taking us we just focus on some positive and desirable thoughts. Things that make us happy. Positive occurrences from the past. Ortberg adds that "People who live great lives are people who habitually think great thoughts. Their thoughts incline them toward confidence, love and joy."
So when that stinking thinking creeps in, take out your mental baseball bat and just swat it out of the park.
Prayer: Lord, sharpen our minds so we can recognize stinking thinking as it occurs and call on You to help us change it. Amen!
Author's note: No time like the present to change our thinking. We can do it, one thought at a time, as we progress toward a more positive approach
Author's note: No time like the present to change our thinking. We can do it, one thought at a time, as we progress toward a more positive approach

The Best Version of You (February 24, 2010) by Jim Crosby

But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.For they are transplanted into the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old they will produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. Psalm 92:12-14
Who are you? Really! Stop and think about that. If someone wanted to describe who you are to another person, how would they do that? What would they say? What version of you would be most obvious to them and be the one they selected to portray. Better still how accurate would that be?
I'm reading a good book now. Surprise, surprise. Me reading a book. Actually I have about four books going at the moment...one fiction and three non-fiction. But, that's beside the point which is that John Ortberg has another book out which is called: "The Me I want to Be." The subtitle is "becoming God's Best Version of You." With that being said let me share a few things I came across in that book. Perhaps the most important thing is that we should try to get our version of us to coincide with God's version.
You may say " Yeah, yeah, well I'm working on it. Nobody's perfect!" True! But, we are not talking about perfection we are always working toward that, but let's be honest about this and investigate how your life can be the best version of the real you. To do that you gotta discern who you really are.
My pastor Betsy Ouellette recently said that one of the books she reads from most everyday...after the Bible and Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest" is Richard Rohr's "Everything Belongs." Naturally I had to have a copy. One of my weak points or maybe it's a strength is that I can't resist books. Just mention a good one and I have to get it. So, please don't mention any good books to me right now, especially any great ones,t because my banker, The Lovely Susette, tells me our book fund is way past empty, it's totally fractured.
Anyway, early-on in his book Rohr says: "We are a circumference people, with little access to the center. We live on the boundaries of our own lives..." He goes on to point out if those boundaries were "evil" we could moralize about them. But, drawing on an analogy using our skin as a boundary, he says that the skin is not evil, it is " just not our soul or spirit."
Rohr points out that we can continue living on this circumference for a long time. Such a long time that it becomes a familiar and accepted part of us. In fact, it becomes all we know. Is that what we want? Comfort? Settling for less than the best version of ourselves? The easy answer to that is no. The hard part is determining how we can discover who we really are and how we can penetrate to the core and find the best version of us. Then, live out that one!
The problem with all that is there are a bunch of different "me-s" we must go through to find the best version of us. You have to make sure you don't get trapped or stalled in one of these "circumference" or "superficial versionss. For example in Chapter 2 Ortberg points out these roadblock "me-s". They are:
The Me I Don't Want to Be
The Me I Pretend to Be
The Me I Think I Should Be
The Me Other People Want Me to Be
The Me I'm Afraid God Wants Me to Be
The Me That Fails to Be
The Me I Am Meant to Be
Obviously we have neither the time nor the space to fully investigate all of those different "me-s" or you-s in this short devotion. It's gonna take a little work to get through those "pretender versions." I would recommend that you read Ortberg's book for a more in-depth look at the different versions that you could lapse into and fail to present the best version of yourself. As the author says; "We do not just drift into becoming the best version of ourselves."
It will take some effort, some introspection and analysis based on your past and where you want to go in the future. But, most of all where do you see God leading you when you become the best version of yourself.
In Psalm 92 the Psalmist appears to be talking about our best version when he talks about the godly and how they will flourish. If we are godly we will flourish like palm trees. Those of us who live in Florida know about palm trees. They are very durable. Live a long time.
The godly will also grow strong like cedars. The cedar trees of Lebanon that he was referring to grew to 120 feet in height and 30 feet in circumference. When I was growing up my mom, grandmother and aunts all had cedar chests in which they would store blankets, quilts, sweaters, etc. Cedar is very strong wood.
I don't see as many of those cedar chests any more, but my favorite interior designer, The Lovely Susette, tells me that even some of the more modern closets are lined in cedar. The reason for this is that cedar will combat moths and silver fish and other little creepy crawlies that could sneak into an ordinary storage chest and make holes in items that are left there for months at a time.
When we put on the best version of ourselves we will enjoy the same kind of success as these trees. The psalmist contends that " believers will be upright, strong and unmoved by the winds of circumstance" like these trees if they seek the best version of their lives.
Maybe the godly part is throwing you off. You just can't picture yourself as godly or maybe even the word righteous is intimidating to you. Sounds like somebody who knows God a lot better than you do. Take heart Ortberg says: "God designed you to be you." When your life is over he won't ask you why you weren't Moses or David, etc. He will ask why you weren't you." And I love this next line. When you become that best version of you then "you don't just become holier. You become you-ier."
God designed you to be a unique, one-of-a-kind person. He wants you to delight in the life you live. The way to do that is to make sure you discover "the best version of you." Then you are free to simply be "you."
Monday Prayer: Lord help us to live out the best version of ourselves so that you will delight in the way we live. Amen!
***author's note: The best version of each of us is an exciting chapter in the story of our lives. Living out that best version makes the whole book dynamic. J

The Challenge of Winning (February 17, 2010) by Jim Crosby

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
We are all winners, right! Nobody out there really considers himself a loser. But, winning can take on different forms. Most often we tend to think of winning in terms of athletic endeavors. Winning or losing a ball game seems to be the end that players, coaches and fans are striving for. All that practice and preparation is diligently engaged in to help the team or individual (in golf, tennis, etc) win games or matches.
For a little different perspective on winning let me share with you a story I read in John Ortberg's book "When the Game is Over It All Goes Back in the Box." that pertains to one particular football game. I must warn you ahead of time, however, you might want to have a Kleenex nearby.
"The football team at Northwest High School in McDermott, Ohio, had a young man named Jake Porter on its roster. Jake has a disorder called chromosomal fragile-x, which means he is cognitively challenged."
Now Jake loved football so much he went out for the team as a freshman. He was so enthusiastic that the coach didn't have the heart to cut him. So, all through high school Jake went to every practice, did every drill, dressed out in full gear for every game even though he knew he would never get into a game.
As the schedule dwindled down to the final game of Jake's senior year, Coach Dave Frantz tried to figure out a way to get him into a game. He approached the opposing coach and asked him3/4if the game happened to be lopsided3/4would it be okay if they put Jake in for a play. They had practiced with Jake by having him take a handoff and touch a knee to the ground so he wouldn't get tackled. The opposing coach agreed.
With five seconds to go in the game Jake's team was losing forty-two to nothing, so coach Frantz called timeout to put Jake in the game. Suddenly the opposing coach came running across the field.
Jake's coach thought maybe his opponent had changed his mind. The opposing coach said he indeed had changed his mind. He didn't want Jake just to get in the game he wanted him to score and he had already cleared it with his defensive coordinator. Of course that meant his team would give up a shutout which is something a team places a high value on.
But, Coach Frantz said: "We haven't practiced that. We've just done the down on one knee thing. "The other coach said, "Just give him the ball and we will make sure he scores."
So, Coach Frantz went back to the bench, called Jake over and said, "Big Boy you are going to the house." Jake was ecstatic he started jumping up and down.
The quarterback called the played and handed off to Jake. Ortberg says, "What happened next is an Ohio football legend. Jake had practiced taking a knee so much that he started to do that which would have ended the play and the game as soon as his knee touched the ground.
But, as his knee started toward the ground the whole team yelled at him to stop. Then they started pointing to the end zone. The coaches on the sideline were doing the same thing. So, Jake walked slowly to the line of scrimmage and 21 players parted, like the Red Sea parting for Moses. Jake took off for the Promised Land.
It took almost 12-seconds but Jake Porter scored a touchdown!
Ortberg describes what happened next. "The bleachers exploded. Everybody was cheering. Grown men were crying; hardened football warriors were hugging each other. A lot of boys played in that game." When they grow old they may forget a lot of the details of this particular game and may even forget who scored touchdowns or even the final score. But no one will forget the day Jake Porter scored a touchdown. Jake's touchdown became everybody's touchdown.
Jake's team lost the game. His opponents lost their shutout. No one cared. Everyone left that stadium a winner! The game became a legend in Ohio football history.
Sometimes winning is not just about the final score. In fact, it may not be about keeping score at all. Overcoming the odds to accomplish something very difficult is winning. Getting up when you get knocked down and trying again is winning.
In sports the winning team receives a trophy. But, the trophy is not the victory itself, it is symbolic of the victory. It stands for what was achieved and is not the achievement itself.
When the New Orleans Saints shocked the football world by winning the Super Bowl their victory was more than a trophy and money. It was a tribute to what can happen in life if you don't give up. If you continue to have faith in God and believe in yourself you are already a winner and have a chance to accomplish great things.
The City of New Orleans had been brought as low as city could go when Hurricane Katrina demolished most of the city. The morale was low, but the determination to bounce back was high.
Likewise the Saints had once been the laughing stock of professional football even jokingly being called the "aints" as in they ain't never gonna win. But, they kept on working and believing and they became champions.
On the national championship stage QB Drew Brees, first gave thanks to God for the victory. I remarked on Facebook that God had smiled on the Saints. That is not to say that he favored either team. Gosh, a few years before, led by a man of faith Coach Tony Dungy, the Colts were on that same stage and he talked about his faith.
The thing that is key to winning is to stay strong in the faith, keep trying and don't get discouraged. God honors faithfulness. Therein lies the key to overcoming the challenge of winning in life.
Prayer: Lord help us to stay strong in the faith so we may be winners in life. Amen!
Author's note: I think you are up to the challenge of winning. Don't get discouraged and trust in the Lord! :)


The Strength You Have (February 10, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Then the Lord turned to him and said "Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you."     Judges 6:14
How strong are you? If someone asks that question would the first thing you think of be physical or mental strength? A child would probably show you his muscle. Little boys are fond of bending their arm, rolling up their shirt sleeve, tightening their biceps and showing off their "muscle" to demonstrate how strong they are.
As adults we might be more inclined to think of mental toughness. What might come to mind is a difficult situation we made it through or a particularly trying time and how we persevered.
Often we don't think about or we underestimate how strong we really are until we are forced to call on that inner strength. That's when we are most likely to turn to the Lord for an extra measure of strength. Philippians 4:13 says, "For I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength, I need."
In interviewing athletes about their faith over the years, I've found that verse from Philippians to be a favorite. That is especially true among football players. Football is such a tough, physical game it requires a certain amount of physical strength. I think the players relate that kind of strength to what the apostle Paul is saying here. But, I think Paul is talking about being strengthened mentally, as well, for the battles ahead. He's not really referring to brute physical strength.
The NLT Bible says: "Can we really do everything? The power we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it. He does not grant us superhuman ability to accomplish anything we can imagine without regard to his interests. As we contend for the faith, we will face troubles, pressures, and trials. As they come, ask Christ to strengthen you."
We have more strength than we realize we have. When put to the test the human spirit can endure a lot. In fact, we have been endowed with the strength to accomplish things we may never have even considered.
Take Gideon for example. He certainly never expected to be called on by God to do anything big.   He just went to work as usual one day. Trying to provide food for his family. He was actually hiding out in the winepress while threshing his wheat so the Midianite warriors, fierce enemies of the Israelites wouldn't see him and come steal the wheat.
Then, suddenly and dramatically an angel sent from God appeared to him and dropped this little bombshell on him. The angel told Gideon that he was going to be the one to rescue his people from the very ones he was hiding from.
The Midianites were bad news. You didn't mess around with them. These desert people have been making raids and wreaking havoc on the Israelites for a long time. Gideon's thinking in regard to these enemies was safety and protection first. He certainly, in his wildest imagination. never dreamed of attacking them. God had other, much grander ideas about the strength he had given Gideon.
NLT says: "Most of us want to know God's plan for our lives, but we are not always sure how to find it...In the Bible's description of how God guided many people we can see that often God's call came while people were completely immersed in the challenge of the moment, a good example of this is Gideon."
Just imagine how incredulous Gideon was when he received the news. He was just doing his job. He certainly never viewed himself as a strong personality, one that could lead an entire nation. But, you see, God's plans are a lot bigger for us than the plans we have for ourselves and we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
The angel had to overcome three objections before Gideon was convinced that this was really what he was supposed to do. 1) Gideon's feelings of responsibility for his family's welfare 2) His doubts about the call itself 3) His feelings of inadequacy for the job.
We can learn a lot from this story. First of all God does have a specific plan for each of us and we have to be open to receiving it for it to work. We can feel certain this plan is bigger than our paltry ones. It will be great, Second, He's not throwing us out there to accomplish something on our own. He's gonna be right there with us, encouraging us to call on his strength and and stretch ourselves beyond what we could have even dreamed of. Third, this call and his plan can involve what we are doing right now. It can be revealed to us at work or on some project we are involved in. It doesn't have to be some dramatic, lightning-bolt of heaven-sent information. It can come to us in our everyday, run-of-the-mill existence. So, we must be ready, remain available and be open to whatever the message is no matter how impossible it may seem.
Once again NLT says, "Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways. Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses. But reminding God of our limitations only implies that he does not know all about us, or that he has made a mistake in evaluating our character. Don't spend time making excuses. Instead, spend it doing what God wants."
We must be ready every day. God may be ready to reveal something, new and exciting to us while we work or play or even sleep. I think we can all relate to the perceived weakness Gideon viewed as innate in his character. Obviously God didn't see it the same way. He only recognized Gideon's potential and promised to help him use his own strength to accomplish something great in his life. He's waiting to do the same kind of thing in your life.
Oh yeah, Gideon went on to defeat thousands of Midianites with just 300 men!
Monday Prayer: Lord we pray for open minds to receive your instructions and the wisdom to know that you have given us the strength to accomplish the assignment you give us.        Amen!
author's note: Go out this week and do great things using the strength God has given you!

Can’t Never Could (February 3, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Then the people of Judah began to complain that the workers were becoming tired. There was so much rubble to be moved that we could never get it done by ourselves. Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's happening , we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.   Nehemiah 4:10-11
"Can't never could do nothing," my grandmother used to say, when I was being a whiny little kid and trying to get out of doing something. She refused to let me cop out just because some task had a degree of difficulty that stretched me a little and also contained the possibility that I might fail.
Horrors! Failing at a task as a child. That's terrible!, It only gives you the rest of your life to learn how to do it. The point is that you not only won't know if you can do something or not unless you attempt to do it. More precisely it definitely will not get done if don't at least try.
Recently I was reading a book that my friend Dr. Larry Thompson, pastor of First Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale, FL gave me at Christmas. It's called "Side by Side" and is a 52-day journey through the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. It has some great life lessons for us based on Nehemiah's leadership example during the difficult rebuilding of a wall around the city of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah provides us with an example of a godly man who left a secure position in the king's court to lead his people in this vital rebuilding project. His strengths were his ability to plan, organize and motivate. But, his real strength and power came from his deep-seated faith in the power of prayer, This took precedence over everything he did. Dr. Thompson does an excellent job of drawing on Nehemiah's strong suits to help encourage and motivate the reader.
On Day 30 in Thompson's book the title caught my fancy and provides the backdrop for this devotion. Larry calls it: "Can't Never Did Do Nuthin" He starts it off by citing a poem by Tim Rose, who undoubtedly must have talked to my grandmother, Nanny Crosby, at one time.J As a former baseball play-by-play guy I think you'll quickly discern what attracted me to this poem.
"When I was a little boy battin' at home plate
The pitcher would pitch, I'd swing the bat, but I always swung too late
So I'd head back to the dugout with my tail between my legs
Saying, I just can't do it. I know I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't.
But when my dad saw me, this is what he'd say.
Can't never did do nothin' because can't never did believe
That anything he wanted, would ever come to be.
So change that gloomy face, boy, and get ready for what's coming
Get back to home plate, son ‘cause can't never did do nothin'.
I wonder how many things in our lifetime we could accomplish if we kept that little piece of advice from father-to-son, or in my case from grandmother to grandchild, in mind? How much have we missed out on by not having a "can do" attitude instead opting for the easy-out of "I just can't do it."
Let's look at what was happening with Nehemiah, to make this "can't never could" attitude come into play. The NLT Bible says: "God is in the business of working through his people to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. God often shapes people with personality characteristics, experiences, and training that prepare them for his purpose and usually the people have no idea what God has in store for them."
This point in our Nehemiah story takes place 70 years after God's temple had been rebuilt in Jerusalem. At the time Nehemiah was in a unique position. He was the cupbearer to Persian King Ataxerxes. While he didn't have much power he did have great influence with the king who trusted him and valued his opinion.
Once Nehemiah was having a bad day. He had always managed to diguise any personal depression from the king and maintained an upbeat, positive attitude. That's probably one of the things the king liked about him. Nehemiah had received very disturbing news. His friends and family who had returned to Judah with the other captives had fallen on hard times. "Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been burned." (1:3)
Nehemiah was very troubled and this time he was not able to disguise his feelings. The king noticed and asked what was wrong. This frightened Nehemiah because he was supposed to be a supportive, not a disruptive influence in the king's court. Here's what he said: "Long live the king! Why shouldn't I be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been burned down."
The king asked, "How can I help you." (2:3-4)
Nehemiah had refused to knuckle under to a "can't do anything about this attitude." Consequently, he prevailed upon the king to let him return and lead the Israelites in the wall rebuilding project. That was just the first hurdle. When he got there he found a lot of opposition to this venture. But, as the work began we read in chapter three a marvelous example of organization and team work. Various sections of that wall were beginning to go up in a hurry.
Then, the scoffers, the naysayers and the ridiculers went to work, especially Old Sanballat, governor of Samaria, located just north of Judea. "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing?" (4:2). He probably had aspirations of becoming governor of Judea also. In light of the scoffing followed by threats what did Nehemiah do? He prayed. "Hear us O God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own head...(4:4)
Next, the workers started getting tired and began to listen to the criticism and started becoming discouraged. "There was so much rubble to be moved that we could never get it done by ourselves." (4:10)
Nehemiah called them together and gave them the old "can't never could do nothing" speech. As Larry Thompson says; "Life is hard by the yard, but it's a cinch by the inch."   So they changed their focus and revved up their effort. The people worked from sunrise to sunset with half the men always armed and on-guard against trouble and others carrying weapons, too.
The result? "On October 2 the wall was finally finished¾just fifty-two days after we had begun." (6:15). Yes, can't never could do nothing, but can certainly could.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for Nehemiah's example of what a "can-do" attitude, shaped by humble prayer, can accomplish.   Amen!
***author's note: My thanks to Larry Thompson for bringing to our attention that it's all about our attitude, approach, and praying to determine God's will that will help us remember that "can't never could do nothing."

Changing the World (January 27, 2010) by Jim Crosby

What's more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?           Esther 4:14
"Every time someone says yes to God, the world changes a little bit."
I like that! It's a quote I read some time ago in John Ortberg's book: "When the Game is Over It All Goes Back in the Box." But, if you read on a little further the flip side of that situation is addressed. Ortberg says: "Everytime you say no to God, you change a little."
He explains what happens when you say 'no.' "Your heart gets a little harder. Your spirit dies a little. Your addiction to comfort gets a little stronger."
Take a moment and think about the things that you have said: "yes" to recently. Now reverse it. For a moment or two dwell on some of the things you have said "no" to.
What feelings came back to you when you considered the things that you gave a thumbs up to? Weren't the majority of those "feel-goods?" Didn't it brighten the moment, maybe even the whole day when you were able to say yes?
Now, stop and think about the times you have answered with a no lately. How did that make you feel and for how long did you feel that way? Most of the time it doesn't make you feel all that good does it?
OK, so maybe most of those were justified. Some requests were ridiculous and you gave the obvious "no" answer immediately. Others you needed to take a little time, but after some analysis and unhurried contemplation you just decided that no was the best answer. Still, even if you did the right thing, wasn't there a little uneasy feeling that lingered for awhile.
Let's face it there are a few weirdos out there with some cockamamie ideas. You have to pass on these and you really shouldn't feel bad when you issue a firm "no-can-do."
I've shared with you on a few previous devotions that I used to be Mr. Automatic No. I could real off a "can't do it" so quick it would make your head swim. I became a master of creative excuses. But, let me tell you; afterwards, I didn't feel all that good about it. I would beat myself up over my selfishness because sometimes it really wouldn't have cost me anything, or at least, very little in the way of time or money or support to have issued a "yes."
So, why did I say "no?" Most of the time it was a desire not to be inconvenienced. Didn't want to get out of my comfort zone. Too lazy or inconsiderate to lend a hand. But, I didn't feel good about myself for awhile after that. It was really a much better feeling, even if there was some cost to me, when I did agree to help out.
So, I've gotten a lot better about not just arbitrarily dishing out a no. I've got a ways to go, but most of the time I at least give it some consideration, asking myself is there any reason why I shouldn't do this instead of how can I get out of it.
But, the danger is always there that I'll drift back into the automatic-no-business. Just ask the Lovely Susette. She is such a good- hearted person...not a patsy although sometimes I think folks take advantage of her "yes" disposition. That annoys me when they do, but it doesn't seem to bother her. She just likes to help others and she has every right to feel good about that. And if I criticize her for that I have every right to feel like Ebenezer Scrooge.
But, those occasions on which either a yes or no answer is the only one that will work will keep coming up because God is not going to let us sit and stagnate. You can't just do nothing because this world is continually moving forward and God is calling on us to make it move in the right direction. His call might take us out of our comfort zone, might makes us say yes, when we would like to weasel out of it and say no but we'll have to make a choice.
Queen Esther was forced to make a choice. She had been crowned after she captured the heart of King Xerxes whenshe won a beauty contest to become the next Queen after her predecessor Queen Vashti fell into disfavor with the monarch.
Esther was a Jew and Xerxes right-hand man Haman was persecuting the Jews. Among those being persecuted was Mordecai, who had adopted Esther. In fact, Haman was building a gallows to hang him on.
So Mordecai went to Esther and asked her to intervene with the King. Esther had to come up with a yes or no answer. There was no middle ground. She was a little concerned that she would suffer the same fate as her predecessor.
Haman told her "don't think if you keep quiet about this that deliverance of the Jews will not happen." It will just come from some other place. Then he told her "you were elevated to this position for "such a time as this."
We all are put in the place where we are for "such a time as this." We are there because that's where God wants us to be. He has a plan for us. He doesn't expect us to sit still, to do nothing and to come with a bunch of excuses that lead to saying no.
Ortberg says: "You and I were created to have a mission in life. We were made to make a difference. This is how the game is played."
He says if we do not pursue the mission for which God made us, He will find a substitute. "We cannot live in the absence of purpose. If we do not live our God-assigned mission, we will live what might be called a shadow mission, playing a game we were not meant to play."
So, getting in the habit of saying yes is important because when you say "yes to God the World changes."
Monday Prayer: Lord, help us to no to overlook the power that resides in saying "yes."   Amen!
***author's note: Speaking our mind is good, but being a yes-man in God's plan is even better.

Lofty Expectations (January 20, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in one likeness to rule over the fish of the seas and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God create man in his own image, in the image of God He created him.'          Genesis 1:26-27
In the bestselling Novel "The Shack" during one of the conversations that Mack (MacKenzie) has with Papa (God) he asks, "Are you saying you have no expectations of me?" (pg206)
"Papa now spoke up. "Honey I've never placed an expectation on you or anyone else."
Whoa what kind of a God is that? You'd think the one who is our Creator. The one who made us in his own image would have lofty expectations for us. He wouldn't settle for anything less than what he expected us to do and be would He ?
What is this, does God just have low or no expectations for us? Consequently, He   leaves us out there to flounder around on our own until we sink into a state of "sorry-ness"? You'd think that God, who is perfect, would have such high expectations for us that we would always be striving to reach the perfection that Jesus modeled for us.
But, let's read further what Papa has to say. "The idea behind expectations requires that someone does not know the future or outcome and is trying to control behavior to get the desired result. Humans try to control behavior largely through expectations. I know you and everything about you. Why would I have an expectation other that what I already know? That would be foolish. And beyond that, because I have no expectations, you never disappoint me."
Still having a hard time with that? Don't you expect more of God than that.? When you look around and see all the bad things happening in the world don't you think God is highly disappointed and he just expects a whole lot more? Well, I can't believe that when people choose to do bad things it makes God happy. So, He has to have higher expectations than the results he sees. Better things than the way some people, maybe even all of us lead our lives.
Well, let's read on a little farther as Papa begins to clarify that. Mack replies: "What You've never been disappointed in me?" Mack was trying hard to digest this, too.
"Never! Papa stated emphatically. "What I do have is a constant and living expectancy in our relationship and I give you an ability to respond to any situation and circumstance in which you find yourself. To the degree that you resort to expectations and responsibilities, to that degree you neither know me or trust me."
OK, let's think about this for a moment. Consider a relationship you are involved in. There are certain things you expect in that arrangement. Now, if your friend, spouse, partner, whoever you are close to views these things as expectations there is likely to be some pressure attached to that. He or she will feel if they don't live up to that expectation that they have let you down. They have failed in the relationship.
But, as Papa says there is an air of expectancy instead that's different. It's more positive than negative. Your expectancy concerning the other person is that they will do the best they can. You await the outcome with expectancy. And if they are not able to pull off what you both were looking for that's okay. It's not like there was some "written in stone" expectation that ruins everything if it isn't met. You still support them and you both just regroup and change the direction based on the latest results. Is there disappointment. Well, naturally there could be. But, it just provides you an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.
Does this mean that you don't set priorities or attempt to do some things that stretch you and may or may not be beyond your means to achieve. No. Because there's expectancy on your part as well as your friend's attitude. You expect to get it done, but if you don't it doesn't end everything, you just regroup.
In our scripture lesson from Genesis 1 we read that God created us in His very own image. Our pastor at Good Samaritan UMC in Tallahassee, recently preached on this scripture and said that "God's purpose in creating us was to bless us. So, he created us, male and female in His own image."
How much more love could the Creator have shown for us than to create us in His own image. Now if that is His physical image or His spiritual image, it doesn't matter. He is the model from which we were created. In His perfection He created us and as I read recently: "God doesn't make junk." So, He has a right to ask a lot of us. He is certainly entitled to have lofty expectations.
But the kicker is that in His love for us He gave us freedom. That was a risk because as Betsy stated: "the problem with freedom is we are free to choose to love Him or go our own way." So, in this act He established an air of expectancy. He loved us and looks forward to our wanting to be close to Him and do the good things He has planned for us. But, it is our choice.
We can treat it as an expectation and rebel. We say we are not worthy cause we could never live up to those lofty expectations and not even attempt to do something hard. We can beat ourselves up over our failures. We can load up those we love with expectations, that if not met, leave us all feeling let down and strain our relationship.
Or we can imitate the love part...the expectancy, the willingness to accept the fact that there are going to be failures in life. But, that's OK we accept those and just try to get better and work together.
In isn't as if we don't have any responsibility. When God created everything He put us in charge. So, the air of expectancy that He has for us is that we will perform that job well. And when, with our human imperfections, we do a poor job, He forgives us.
He picks us up and puts us on the right track. No lofty pursuits here. Just an air of expectancy and love that will help us be the best we can be.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for a love so great that there are no hard and unforgiving expectations, just an air of loving expectancy and support. Amen!
****author's note: It's with an air of hopeful expectancy that I say that I hope you have a great week.    Amen!






Begin at the Beginning-January 13, 2010 by Jim Crosby

In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. Genesis 1:1-2
With 2010 staring us down and saying: "OK, you've been given a blank page now put something on it, what are we going to do? We can't simply do nothing. We have to draw something (forget that I'm not an artist), or write something (more my style) or just do something of value with the time allotted.
What will we do with the year ahead of us? Well, if you look closely at the blank sheet representing our new year you'll see a few little marks, or spots of color or print starting to form because we are moving away from the pristine newness of it. Some hours, days and even a few weeks are gone. We can't recover those. We must take control and fill in the rest based on our own efforts.
What's happened so far is something to think about, but only long enough to figure out what amount of time has been wasted and how to avoid doing that in the future. Just a few minutes ago, I read on that vast reservoir of knowledge and information ─Facebook─this statementJ :)
There are four things you cannot recover in life: 1) The stone after it has been thrown; 2) The word after it has been said; 3) The occasion after it is missed; and 4) Time after it's gone.
Sitting around bemoaning the fact that you've missed an opportunity or that irrecoverable time has slipped right past you, only compounds the problem. You'll be commiserating about stuff you missed out on while even more will elude you.
I'm writing all this with a somewhat guilty conscience because I did greet the New Year with great enthusiasm for all the things I want to accomplish in the 365 new cards I was dealt. Sadly, the first week passed with my having accomplished little in the way of making a dent in my optimistic "to-do" list. I didn't win a single hand. Now, I can sit around and mentally chastise myself and moan and groan about valuable time that has been lost, or I can do something about it.
What I propose to do is "begin at the beginning." Doing the same old things in the same old way will surely yield the same old unsatisfactory results. So, I'm just looking at that page as being pristine. It is clear and ready to be filled in with great accomplishments. Only I can sabotage those goals, dreams, opportunities etc. Only I can dumb it up and ensure failure.
In the real beginning of everything God decided that He would create something. He had a blank page to work with. Now, we have an advantage over God. He was creating something from nothing. He didn't have any prior experience, so far as we know, to help structure His endeavor, or conversely to hold Him back. Of course, God does have infinite advantages over us that we can't match. No need to go into those, it would take forever. Besides we don't even come close to knowing what all those are.
But, here's the thing we can learn from God's creation story. We must begin at the beginning. We can exercise our advantage by letting the things that have helped us in the past influence what we put on this new page; then, make real progress through the year using up more and more of the blank space each day.
Likewise we can let the baggage of past failures, insecurities, misconceptions and wasted opportunities hold us back and make this picture we are painting (could be a word picture or a painting or just the story of our life) be less than the best we can create.
To make a beginning that leads to a gratifying ending by December 31 it takes some planning. Obviously God created everything in an orderly fashion. He didn't just bounce around randomly working on part of it, then leaving it dormant, and putting another iron in the fire while the first one cooled and fizzled out.
God said, "let there be light" and he separated it from the darkness. Thus, he created the first day with light being called day and the dark was night. Then, He moved on and separated the waters thereby creating the heavens and earth. Now that he had dry ground his creativity was in full swing. Plants, animals, fish, fowl and man followed in orderly fashion. God was on a roll and what a grand result he achieved. He created everything in this world we live in.
So, there's our example. If we make a plan, follow it in an orderly fashion, don't desert any of the important parts, we also will have a creation on the canvas that is 2010 we can then be proud of.
Am I saying, work, work, work and let this drive for success consume us? No, that's where an intelligent plan comes in. Working in rest and relaxation, enjoying nature, stopping to assess and appreciate what you've been blessed with and what you have achieved so far are all key ingredients.
For example, The Lovely Susette and I have our prioritized projects on the board and it's going to take some time and a lot of effort to get them done. We have small tasks and large ones. We are respectful of each other's need to work individually and recognize the times when a joint effort is necessary. We've resolved to not beat ourselves up when we aren't perfect in our execution, and things go awry. But, those will not defeat us. We'll get back on track.
In fact, we've even resolved to have a Read-Only day. Now when I'm trying to work on a document in my computer and it comes up "read-only" and won't let me do any editing or make additions it can be aggravating. Our read-only day is going to be the opposite. We both love to read and got a lot of books for Christmas. So we are going to take one day and just read. We may start out reading at home, then spend some time reading in the park, then in the library or over lunch at a restaurant, wherever. Just enjoy the day and not beat ourselves up afterwards by being guilty of wasting time. That kind of relaxing day will lead to increased productivity on the next one.
So, begin at the beginning and enjoy the process that will let you, at year's end view a dazzling 2010 version of your life, that started out as a page with nothing on it.
Prayer: Lord we thank you for the blank page of 2010 and for giving us the tools to make it a beautiful picture in the coming days, Amen!
***author's note: Hope your week is super successful has you being to fill in the blanks spaces on the 2010 canvas.




A Patient New Year (January 6, 2010) – Jim Crosby

But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow wait patiently for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.                           Habakkuk 2:3
Happy New Year! My wish for you faithful devotion reader is that 2010 will be the best year of your life so far.
It is always exciting when we stand on the threshold of a brand new year! There is so much unknown that lies ahead. Things that lend an air of mystery. They cause us to look forward with eager anticipation.
Of course, not everything that is going to happen will be pleasing. Some of it will be painful and distressing. That's life. We don't welcome those situations, but they are learning experiences and ones that can provide growth and strengthen character. Sometimes we get mired down in these and let them negatively impact other areas of our life, even parts of us that really shouldn't be affected.
It's when these negative-impact events occur that we experience the number one thing that leads to our becoming impatient─STRESS. And chronic long-term exposure to stress can disrupt all our internal systems and cause health problems. In fact, the really bad thing about stress is that "the body doesn't distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you're stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be "on" most of the time. The more your body's stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off." (helpguide.org, "Understanding Stress). But, when you're constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.
It's unavoidable in life. We will constantly face frustrations and hassles. These can come in the form of deadlines, time demands, dealing with unreasonable people or any variety of circumstances and events. But, stress is not always bad. In small amounts it helps us get things done, reach goals, focus on important things and better prioritize our activities. Achieving these things makes us feel good about ourselves and when we do we are just a bunch of fun to be around.
However, there is a two-edged sword associated with stress. Stress can lead to impatience and impatience can lead to stress. Both can be harmful. Reading inside the front cover of Max Lucado's new book "Fearlessness" I found a good thought. It said that when we assess stressful things they can cause us to default to fear. But, the way to avoid that is to make "faith" our default instead. In other words, when we are concerned about something if we just call on our faith instead of being fearful then we can have peace of mind and become more patient.
Our scripture today talks about the importance of being patient. We need to stay focused, no matter how difficult times are, on the fact that God is in control and He will ultimately bring about a good outcome for those who keep the faith.
The prophet Habakkuk was upset about the same thing that we often stress out about. It just seemed to him that evil people were winning while the believers were losing out time after time. But God said to him; Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. It it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
God was telling the people to be patient. He knew just what was going on. He knew it was a rat race and the rats seemed to be winning. But, they should default to their faith and remember He is in control. They should be patient and not get stressed out, elevating their blood pressure and damaging their physical health. He will prevail.
Seems like good advice for us in 2010. As we start the New Year, God is telling us to be patient, to default to our faith in Him and remember that we can win over stress and peace will prevail in our lives.
Prayer: Lord grant us the patience we need to keep to our lives under control and headed in the right direction in 2010. Amen!
***author's note: I wish you and your family the happiest of New Years and pray God's rich and wonderful blessings on you in 2010.


After the Celebration (December 30, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.     Psalm 96:3
Ok, so this is probably the most difficult devotion of the year to write. I say that only because and I think I've said it before; it's a "tweener." The other 51 present their own challenges, but because of where this Monday Devotion is positioned it requires some real forethought. It isn't one you want to run close to the deadline in creating.
Consequently, I'm writing it before Christmas, which makes it even more challenging. When you finally read this the Christmas celebration will be quickly fading into the past and it will not yet be time to bring out the party hats and welcome in the New Year.
As I recall when we last communicated we were talking about "the stockings being hung by the chimney with care" and one of those being an "empty stocking' which was not really empty (see the 12-21 Devotion). But, now the secrets that were wrapped in those pretty packages have been brought to light. All that wrapping paper and the boxes and bows have been thrown out, recycled or put away. What remains are lovely memories of a special occasion. So the question is: Do we linger longer over the fond memories of Christmas or look ahead to what's coming up?
My first thought is that it's time to move on, but as TV football analyst Lee Corso says, "Not so fast my friend." There is value to be gained from revisiting those good feelings and we can be moving ahead while we are doing that as well.
All that being said I found myself still stumped as to where I should precede with this devotion until my computer indicated I had email waiting. I think it was the Lord's way of helping me out because what I discovered in the email was the weekly Good Samaritan Church Newsletter. As I read Pastor Betsy Ouellette's words I knew where I wanted to go with this and the real message I needed to pass along.
The scripture I had selected for this devotion, without knowing why, is one that my first publisher, Pleasant Word, who published, "Monday Morning Devotions' (2002) sent me. It says to "Publish His glorious deeds among the nations and tell everyone about the amazing things He does." (Ps 96:3) I have accepted that as my call. It's why I am a writer. It's a meaningful way that I can use the talents God has given me. It's how I have been truly blessed and feel compelled to pass these blessings to others. It's also the avenue through which I can reflect on and capture the joys and celebration of Christmas and use them in the New Year.
Pastor Betsy began her newsletter by talking about her love for reading and how she loves words. She writes; "A unique turn of a phrase may stay with me for weeks. I love how the words of another allow me to see into their lives and in seeing into another person I learn to know myself better."
How true that is. The words we read or hear can have a great impact on our lives. Something someone wrote or said can stay in our memory for years. These crop up and are remembered at odd times and are triggered by different situations. We are carrying them around in our subconscious without even realizing it. Ever think about something or say it out loud, then pause and consider, "Now where did that come from?" Probably came from words you read or heard.
Betsy wrote further that being absorbed in the words of others affects her positively in that "When I read I don't feel so alone. The feelings and emotions of other people often resonate with my own and I recognize the reality that we are all connected to one another."
One of the neat developments in my life in 2009 was the discovery of Facebook. Through this internet social networking tool I've been able to participate in the lives of many friends, acquaintances and even strangers.
You can learn a lot about a person; his likes or dislikes, her priorities, what makes them angry, happy or sad and how they spend their time by reading just a few succinct words on their FB status update. You are made aware of how well they slept, what they ate, the movies they recommend and books they enjoyed or disliked. String these updates together over a few months and you get a pretty accurate picture of how a person leads his or her life. But, the point is this is done through words...simple typed words.
Betsy also says, "It is fascinating to me to think that anything that happens begins with a thought and a thought is a concept made up of language...words. Even so words are limited and easily misunderstood. It is difficult to describe ultimate beauty and eternal love with words."
If you are like me you find those thoughts/words to be very true. Even though I am a writer there are times when words just seem inadequate. Sometimes an experience is so powerful I feel that having to describe it in mere everyday language does not do justice. It deserves something better.
Betsy addresses that when she writes: "At Christmas we celebrate the mystery of Immanuel, God with us. Letters and symbols on a page were no longer adequate to convey God's love, we needed God with skin so "The Word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).
She concludes: "From the musings of the mind of God came the Word, the Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord. Out of love, Love was born."
Very strong! You may not like to write. May not even be much on reading. Nevertheless, you use words and words are important because The Word became flesh. Consequently our words take on lives of their own and determine not only how we live, but how we affect the lives of others. Thank you Betsy for bringing the importance of words to our attention.
Now that the celebration is past, we are encouraged to take those good thoughts and memories from Christmas and publish, write, speak, share, and give them to others in the coming New Year.
Prayer: Heavenly Father thank you for The Word who teaches us the importance of words and how they direct our lives. Amen!
Author's note: When someone asks you "What's the Word?" I think you'll have a good answer for them now! Happy New Year!



The Empty Stocking (December 23, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign unto you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2: 11-12
For God so loved the world the gave his only begotten Son.... John 3:16
"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there."    (Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore)

What if that stocking you hung from the mantelpiece was just as empty on Christmas morning as it was when you put it up there? Could it still be a Merry Christmas for you? Is all this ─"more blessed to give than to receive" stuff─ true and would you be able to take comfort just giving gifts, even if you didn't receive anything in return? Is just knowing that what you gave made someone happy enough?
As we mature (notice I didn't say get older because thankfully we are all doing that, but none of is old) I do think that the joy of giving becomes treasured even more than the joy of receiving.
Yes, there is happiness in receiving gifts. Most of it stems from the fact that in getting a gift, even if it's not something you would personally choose, it is a statement that someone was thinking about you.
So, receiving gifts is special, but giving is even more special. Dr. Bill Hinson, in his book "The Joy of Giving: The Paul & Jane Meyer Story" says: "Giving has a way of having an immediate effect, then producing many, sometimes smaller, effects down the line. You could say it's like a stone skipping across a pond, except that the stone keeps on skipping, making one strike after another."
You see, giving a gift not only makes that person feel special and important, but it usually makes them want to show or share it with someone else. "Oh Jim gave me that for Christmas, I love it." Or "Susette got that for me, wasn't that a thoughtful gift?"
Then that person might tell another. "You should see what Jim got Susette or What a nice present Susette received from Jim, wish I had one for those."
The Wise Men presented material gifts to the Christ Child. The Shepherds, who had less to give in a material way, brought awe and wonder and respect and praise.
All of these were special enough that they are preserved in scripture and re-told to generation after generation at Christmas time.
What the shepherds brought something simply by their presence and the wise men contributed by making the long journey is even more important than anything of a material nature. The frankincense and myrrh have long since been used up and who knows where the gold is? But, the gift that has lasted is their story. The action they took. The faith they had. The journey they made.
There's a whole lot of happiness surrounding what happened in that manger. It wasn't an easy trip for any of them─ Joseph and Mary, the shepherds and later the wise men. But, it was all about a gift. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved us that He gave us the gift of His Son who was born in that lowly stable setting.
Sanford T. Whitman wrote: "The Lord gives to us that we may give to others." (Hinson book pg. 22). So God loves giving us presents. You can see that by the awesome gift He gave. And what pleases Him is when we take that same attitude of giving to others. But, what really pleases Him is when we give from the heart. That way we do it cheerfully, not grudgingly. We give because we have love and caring in our hearts. That makes Him smile. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
Truthfully no one will have an empty stocking on Christmas morning. Oh some may be more well stocked than others. Some may just be for show because all the gifts and goodies are under the tree in colorfully wrapped packages and on tables and counters.
Some are able to give more, while others may have to be content with less. The happiness of gift-giving and receiving may be tempered by the sadness of having lost a loved one, who will no longer be here to share the joy of Christmas.
I always miss my Dad on Christmas morning. He really made sure his boys and his beloved Lula Mae got nice things even if he had to do without himself. In the retail business in South Florida he worked long hours in December, on his feet selling clothes from 9til9, Monday through Saturday the whole month. So, he was worn out by December 25^th, but was always up and enjoying that special morning. So, I'll miss Pop and my boys will miss PaPa this year again.
But, those folks in the manger didn't have much on that first Christmas. No video games, jewelry, shirts and ties, cookware or really anything of a material nature. But, what was present there was a lot of love. God's love was changing the world forever and even though none of us was physically there, we have memories of that scene captured in our minds because of the telling and re-telling of the story.
Likewise, no matter how hard the year has been, how depleted our resources may be, or who is no longer with us this Christmas...joy and happiness still await us.
Our Christmas Stocking will be stuffed full and overflowing with precious, treasured memories. There will be memories of Christmases past and thankfulness that we are around to celebrate another one. Those who have made other Christmases so special will vie for space in our minds and mingle with the joy of the ones celebrating with us this year.
"For unto you is born this day, a Savior who is Christ the Lord," so we will never have an empty stocking at Christmas!   Merry Christmas Everyone!
Prayer: It's the best time of the year Lord. Thank you for your precious gift and may everyone's Christmas Stockings be filled with plenty of goodness and happiness this year. Amen!
Author's note: Thank you readers for the gift you give me at Christmas and all year around by sharing these week

The Lights of Christmas (December 16, 2009) by Jim Crosby

In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:4-5
            "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Everywhere you go;
            Take a look in the five-and-ten glistening once again
               with candy canes and silver lanes aglow."
               (It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" lyrics)
Got the Christmas spirit yet? The Decorations are going up all around us. It's hard to be a grump at this time of year isn't it? Even if everything seems to be going wrong and your day is progressing from bad to worse, once you look around and see the brightly lighted Christmas trees, the wreaths, the silver bells, the carols being sung and notice that one or more of those colorful packages under the tree has your name on it...then, you can't be a complete grump. Even old Ebenezer Scrooge couldn't remain a mean old man on Christmas day. That's the magic of Christmas.

            "There's a special kind of feeling in the air
            It only happens at this time of year.
            When everyone is filled with love and cheer
              That's what matters."
            (Greatest Time of the Year" lyrics)
I really enjoy the lights of Christmas. We ride around and look at all the house decorations throughout the city and view them with the wonder of child once again. I remember the big event when I was a kid in Macon, GA. The one that signaled the beginning of Christmas for kids was a parade downtown. The last thing in the parade was the appearance of Santa Claus, usually riding in a fire truck. Guess his sleigh and reindeer were getting a tune-up for the big trip they would be making later that month. Santa would disembark and go up on a balcony, pull out what looked like a pistol and fire it up into the air. At that exact moment all the Christmas lights downtown would come on simultaneously and the yuletide season in central Georgia would officially be under way. Let the shopping begin!
The Christmas lights are a big part of the entire celebration especially those on the Christmas tree. As a child I was always fascinated by "bubble lights." These tube-like lights, once they warmed up, send bubbles up and down the tube and each light is usually a different color. Neat, huh.
Those are still around. We don't have any on our tree. Ours are all-white. In fact, our tree already has all the lights on it. We just take it out of the box. Put about four sections together, plug it in and magically all of them come on.
At first, I complained about using all-white lights. Told the Lovely Susette that we see white lights everywhere we go all year around, so a Christmas tree should be different. It should have colored lights on it. Even if they were all the same colors like blue or red. But, I prefer multi-colored lights. She pointed out to me how nicely the white lights bring out the colors of the ornaments on the tree. Never thought of it that way before. But, she's right. Besides, looking good we didn't have to string a bunch of lights on it and put on icicles, and keep sweeping up pine-needles even though real trees look great also.
I'll admit that I like just about any Christmas decoration, but especially the lights. Even though some may look a little shabby or too understated, or some are too gaudy and overdone. They all express the joy of Christmas.
Jesus is the light that shines on us all the time. He's the Christmas light, the light of Easter, the light of the third Monday in the 7^th month of the year or the third Tuesday. John wrote that" life was in Him and that life was the light of men." Of course, the neat thing about light is that it dispels the darkness. Bad things may be lurking out in the shadows or in the dark, but if you are in the light you can see what's there.
When John says that the "light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" that means that evil hasn't and won't ever overcome God's light which is Jesus Christ.
Before there was electricity miniature candles were put on the Christmas trees. Some people still use candles. There is something about candlelight that is special. It's speaks of cozy-ness, warmth, and love. It could also be dangerous if not closely watched as it does present a potential fire hazard.
The first known electrically-lighted Christmas tree was created by Edward H. Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison. This first tree was was hand-wired with 80 red, white and blue electric incandescent light bulbs the size of walnuts, on December 22, 1882 at his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Local newspapers ignored the story, seeing it as a publicity stunt. Johnson was Vice-President of Edison Electric Company (now Con-Ed). (Wikipedia) But, electric Christmas tree lights remained too expensive for most folks so they didn't really catch on until about 1930.
In two different sermons recently I've heard that you need to get out in the country to fully appreciate the brightness of the stars in the heavens. That goes for the moon, too. These are best viewed and appreciated for their brightness out where there's no smog or competition from street lights, etc. Each star has its own brightness and sparkle.
What really makes Christmas lights special, however, is their purpose. They are used to attract attention to a celebration. It's a big birthday party. The birthday of the Christ Child, the Savior or as John puts it "the light that shines in the darkness" and provides light to all men for all time. That's worth breaking out the best Christmas lights for.
Prayer: The light of Christmas shines more brightly than any light at any time. Happy Birthday, Jesus. Amen!
***author's note: Enjoy the Christmas lights more than ever this year and pay special attention to how much brighter everything around them seems during this special time of celebration.



Following the Star (December 9, 2009) by Jim Crosby

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.          Matthew 2:1-2
I never tire of revisiting the stories about the birth of Jesus each year. At Christmas time my heart is warmed as I read of Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem. I like to read about the angels appearing to the shepherds in the field. And I especially enjoy the story of the magi or as we call them three wise men.
Did you ever think out-of-the-box on any of these ancient, but still current stories? For example, did you ever wonder what would have happened if it was three wise women instead of three wise men who came to visit the baby Jesus?
One person said if it had been females instead of males who were trying to find the place where Jesus would be born they would have:
- Asked directions,
- Arrived on time,
- Helped deliver the baby,
- Cleaned the stable,
- Made a casserole, and
- Brought practical gifts (like diapers!)
That's funny! But, I still like the old, old story of the Magi following the star and bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby, Jesus.
Each year, for the past 20 years or so, my former church, Killearn Methodist has presented the Living Christmas Story on the second weekend in December. This consists of 11 scenes from Bethlehem at the time of the Savior's birth. In promoting the event they say: "Follow the Star."
In a way that's what we have been doing all of our lives. We have been following that star through the entire year and it leads us to Christmas near year's end. There have been a lot of adventures and mis-adventures along the way. Sometimes our lives just become too cloudy to see the star. We lose track of where it is and wander off the path we should be taking.
When the Magi were following that unusually bright star they were actually following a star to THE Star. It was leading them to the one who 2,000 years later is still the star attraction, not only of Christmas, but an everyday All Star. We read about people who have "star appeal," and we hear about "star attractions."   These so-called stars in sports, movies, politics have lots of followers who try to emulate them in actions or view points. But, they aren't real stars. They are humans and they are just a loss or a flop or a bad strategy away from being deserted.
I saw this happen recently when one of my favorite people, Coach Bobby Bowden, was deserted by many who had been band-wagon followers of him and his teams. Bobby is second in wins among everyone who has ever coached a college football game. His teams finished in the top five in the final rankings for 14-consecutive seasons, have 27 straight bowl appearances, and two national championships. But, when they fell on hard times recently, all-of-a-sudden, Bobby became "too old" to do the job according to the fall-out.
None of us sails through life unscathed. We pick up lots of bumps and bruises along the way. But, when we are following the star we can always get back to the place where we should be.
Casey Kasem, radio host of American Top 40, a show that counts down the top 40 popular songs being played in America weekly, used to close his show after announcing the Number One song by saying: "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."
For it is in the heavens where the stars reside. We don't expect to accomplish anything, except maybe not tripping over something, if we are always walking around with our head down and eyes looking toward the ground.
Night after night the Magi scanned the skies looking for that one special star that would lead them where they wanted to go.   They had faith it would appear. When it did they proceeded confidently as it moved across the skies night after night. The combination of faith, confidence and patience eventually led them to the place they wanted to go and they discovered just as the ancient texts has told them they would, the "baby who was born King of the Jews."
It's a beautiful story and it gives us pause to think about what star we are following. Who or what is the star in your life that guides you with it's unique brightness along the paths you tread. Have you set your sights on the right, bright star or is there a false star providing temporary light that leads you the wrong way?
Science tells us that the star closest to earth is the sun or should that be spelled Son? If you follow the star to Him like the Magi did you'll end up where there is endless celebration...the place where it is Christmas all the time.
Prayer: This Christmas, Lord, we want to follow the star that leads to the love, peace and righteous living that is not available in movies, books, parties, sports or shopping. Show us the star that leads us to You! Amen!
***author's note: To enjoy this Christmas more than ever keep following the Star!


It’s Your Life (December 2, 2009) by Jim Crosby

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God and listen to His voice and hold fast to him.                   Deuteronomy 30: 19-20
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that   take our breath away."
Recently, I read that anonymous quote and it made me stop and think. It was during Thanksgiving week which really signals the beginning of the holiday season, so I was especially vulnerable to this kind of sentiment.
During this holiday stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's day is when I feel especially blessed. I'm blessed all year around, but during this time more of my blessings appear right in front of my face. They can't help, but be noticed. And as I grow older I've become more disposed to slowing down and recognizing these for what they are and being truly thankful for them.
Being thankful is a good way to lead your life. Wish I did more giving thanks and less complaining about things in my life. We have our own ideas of how we want our lives to unfold. When any of the millions of things out there come along to confront and contest those ideas it is hard to give thanks for those. Still Paul tells us to be thankful for them also, because they are the things that help us grow. They teach us and broaden our horizons.
But, who wants them? Probably nobody. We'd just as soon avoid them, but realistically we can't because as Frank Sinatra used to sing: "That's Life." And we could butt our heads against them or we can as the writer of Deuteronomy says "choose life, so that you and your children may live,"
Is that silly or good advice? I mean who, in his or her right mind would not choose life? But, here's the thing. Choosing life is not just our physical life and surviving on a daily basis, but it means choosing obedience.
Moses told the people to choose life and blessing on the one hand or death and evil on the other hand. He actually equated life with obedience and death with disobedience. So it is more about choosing to obey God and appreciate life or disobey Him and not receive the bounty of his blessings on earth that will be topped off by eternal life.
When you look at it this way the picture clears up a little. It's not as fuzzy. God has laid out some things in the Bible, especially in the 10 Commandments that He expects of us and knows that each time we obey one of those we will be blessed even more. In other words we will not "measure our lives by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
Often those breath-taking moments are spontaneous happenings.─things we never anticipated and are just so unexpected and joy-filled they take our breath away. God is the master of those. He loves to surprise us. He loves even more to reward those who are faithful to him.
But, there are also those that are anticipated. Things we look forward to and know that they are going to be great, so we prepare to have our breath taken away, at least momentarily. Then we know that happiness will continue over the long haul.
The Lovely Susette and I are preparing for one of those breath-taking moments. No it's not Christmas or New Year's, but it is on track for early January. We are set to welcome our first grandchild into the world. We know it's a girl...she will be named: Quinn Alison Crosby. We are gearing ourselves up for that breath-taking moment when we first lay eyes on her. That will be special.
Think about the moments in your life that were so joyful they just took your breath away. Everyone has at least one, some have many more. There's no greater feeling. As the scripture for today says it is our "choice." We can choose life or more appropriately we choose how we will lead our life.
God does want a relationship with us. He won't force that friendship upon us. Think how many friends you have who are friends because they forced that friendship on you. I doubt if there are any. If you do have some like that, I think if you are honest, you'll admit that they aren't really close friends. Maybe they are masquerading as friends and they aren't friends at all.
So we have to make the choice. In choosing God's way, we are choosing life. Really we are choosing the good life. That's not to say that things won't go wrong from time to time, but we will better be able to work through them. And if we are obedient and faithful to seek God's wisdom and the leadership of the Holy Spirit we will get through them and then....be prepared for a "moment that takes your breath away." I feel certain that God's got one saved up for you.
In Deuteronomy, God passed the word along through Moses to the people if they chose life they would be blessed, but if after they had lived in the land a long time and they got complacent and started doing evil he would call heaven and earth as witnesses to the fact that they would reap what they had sowed.
In other words their bad choices could bring wrath in the form of natural disasters, bad harvests, etc. The choice was theirs. They could chose life and obedience and all the great things that entailed or they could chose disobedience leading to misery and death.
It's your life. Choose how you will lead it.
Prayer: Lord we want to prepare for those breath taking moments in our lives that you reward us with. We choose life and obedience and a close relationship with you. Amen!
*** author's note: It's your life you can conduct it however you want. Choose to deepen and strengthen your relationship with the Lord and prepare for those moments that take your breath away.

High-Fiving Moments-November 18, 2009 (Jim Crosby)

His master replied, "Well done good and faithful servant!"           Matthew 25:21
It's become a universal gesture of celebration. Everyone from toddlers to great grandparents can do it. It's called the High Five. OK, on the off chance that there is someone out there on the edge of civilization who doesn't know what a High Five is let me call on Wikipedia for a definition:
"The high five is a celebratory gesture, usually executed by two people at a time. To properly execute a high five, each person raises a hand to make contact, or slap, the opposing raised hand of the other. If the initiator offers the right hand, the reciprocator offers the right hand, as one would with a traditional handshake. The hand and arm are usually extended in an upward fashion to form the "high" part, and the palms of each hand make physical contact in final execution of the gesture."
High Fives are fun. They bring on smiles. They speak of good things...ones that are cause for celebration and happiness. They just connect people in a positive manner.
Where did this idea of the celebratory modification of a handshake get it's start? I don't think anybody can really pinpoint it although many lay claim to it.
Some folks say the first one they saw happened in the 1970's in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform (between Glen Burke and Dusty Baker). That is disputed because others point out that Dean Martin gave Louis Armstrong a high five on his television show on September 26, 1966 after his rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In."
It's also reported that High Fives and High Tens (a gesture in which both parties slap both hands together) occurred in the 1941 movie, "Abbott and Costello in the Navy." The Andrews Sisters sang a song called "Gimme Some Skin My Friend" in which those were used.
Still others point out that a different version of this started as far back as 1927 when Al Jolson executed a Low Five in the movie: "The Jazz Singer."
Of course, high fives now run rampant in sports and because of the high visibility achieved by athletes this has spread to all areas of society. You see people giving high fives after a sale is made; after something witty or intelligent has been said; after a problem has been solved or in countless other situations.
Go up to a little kindergarten kid and say: "Gimme Five" and I betcha he or she will immediately begin a high five.
I wouldn't be surprised if the art of high-fiving didn't go all the way back to Biblical times. Of course Jesus is the prime candidate for receiving High Fives. Can you imagine anyone at the party where the hosts ran out of wine and Jesus turned the water into wine, not wanting to give him a high five?
How about when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? Certainly a High Fiving Moment.
But, Jesus presents an easy example of high fiving moments. Just about everything he did was high-fiveable and worthy of more that that. So, let's see where we can find other high five moments in scripture.
How about when Moses lead the Israelites through the Jordan River after God parted the waters. Then they turned to see Pharoah's troops drowning after the waters came back together. Bet there was a lot of high-fiving going on then.
Daniel was thrown into the lion's den and came out the next day completely unharmed. He certainly would have received some high fives from the King. But, Daniel probably would have deferred them to God who he would give all the credit to for sparing him.
Little David would have certainly been due some high fives, or maybe in his case some low fives since he was so small, after he felled the mighty giant Goliath with a rock from his slingshot.
Noah was high fiveable after he completed the job of building the Ark. But, there were probably more high fives when they finally emerged from the ark after the flood.
Gideon and his band of 300 men probably shared some very satisfying high fives after they routed the Midianite army of a million or more.
Imagine the joy shared by Naomi and Ruth when Boaz fell in love with and decided that he wanted to marry the widow Ruth. After lots of sadness and uncertainty better times were on their way. Now, not only Ruth but the mother-in-law she loved would be safe and secure. Certainly a high fiveable time.
How about when Mary Magadelene and the women who went to the tomb with her finally discovered that Jesus had risen? A big high fiving moment in time.
John Mark probably exchanged high fives with Barnabas after being told about the agreement reached with Paul. Mark would now be going on a missionary trip with his cousin that would set the stage for eventually writing Mark's Gospel.
Each of Jesus' disciples, as they joined the group of 12, were due high fives welcoming them as a follower.
The four men who lowered the paralytic through the roof into the crowded house so Jesus could heal him probably exchanged a round of fives when the mission was accomplished.
High fives have become so popular that there is even a National High Five Day celebrated on the third Thursday of April each year. On that day folks are encouraged to exchange as many high fives as possible. (http://www.nationalhighfiveday.com/). By the way, the Guiness Record Book for most high fives in a 24-hour period is 5,000 (by one person) at a UNICEF event in Dublin, Ireland in 2007. Now there's a record to try to top.
It's undeniable. High Fives are a good thing. They make both parties feel good. I encourage you to indentify those High Fiving Moments that are all around you each day.
Monday Prayer: Lord think you for all the high-fiving moments you bless us with each day! Amen!
****Author's note: Be alert for those high-fiving moments in your life this week. They'll make the whole week better.






Thankfulness, 2009-November 25, 2009 by Jim Crosby

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Ephesians 5:19-20
As I read our scripture for this devotional in the Quest Study Bible (QSB) I looked in the margin to see what the commentary said and discovered this question, "Can we honestly give thanks for everything?"
Now the nice thing about QSB is that it not only asks the hard questions but it suggests an answer as well. Here's what it says: "Giving thanks is an act of worship, recognizing that despite difficult circumstances we may face from time to time, God's love and concern are unfailing."
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and we begin to focus on family, turkey, and football (well, that one is optional) I am always reminded of the real importance of this holiday, which is one of my favorites. It is to give thanks. I'm told the Pilgrims started all this giving-thanks-stuff well at least they made a big enough production of it that it was made into a holiday. Not that people haven't been thanking God for all His blessings long before the Pilgrims came on the scene.
It's just that, thanks to the Pilgrims who had survived a harsh New England winter without central heat and air conditioning and made friends instead of enemies with the Indians, a special feast was scheduled for the express purpose of giving thanks. And that's where this Turkey-thing became a tradition.
I'm glad it did because I love Turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole and biscuits and pumpkin and pecan pie and whatever else I can fit on my plate. It's the one day I give myself permission to overeat.
But, the best thing about it is that it causes me to assume an attitude of thankfulness and focus on just how blessed I really am. As we think about that I'm going to insert a few quotes about what being thankful really means like this one:
"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never have enough." --Oprah Winfrey.
The Lovely Susette and I were talking about our Thanksgiving plans for this year which include having each person say what they are thankful for before they get any food on their plate. Although this will be more difficult for some─we hope to have 3 of our 5 kids present (the two youngest won't be here)─if they want to eat they'll have to give at least one thing.
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving  it."     --William Arthur Ward
In our scripture lesson from Ephesians the apostle Paul is telling them to think about the way they conduct their lives. He says that when we do that and analyze how greatly we are blessed that we can't help but give thanks. This will remind us how much God loves us. It will give us that warm fuzzy feeling and strengthen us for the difficult times that come into everyone's life. In fact, we will be so happy that we will sing and make music in our heart.
"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel." -- Anonymous.
This past week many of us in Tallahassee experienced a shocking loss when local sportswriter Steve Ellis passed away because of a heart attack at the age of 54. When you lose a friend like that you search for anything positive, something you can be thankful for in this loss.
Everyone touches the life of other people, often in ways we don't even realize and frankly take for granted until that person is no longer with us. As I thought back on the life of my friend Steve I realized that I could be truly thankful for the memories I was able to recall. They were plentiful and happy ones because we go way back in covering the sports beat in Tallahassee.

As I was recalling the positive things in our relationship I came to the realization that Steve's parting gift to me was a dual blessing. First let me point out that Steve really was a workaholic. A fun guy, loved by many and a devoted husband and son, but he was so devoted to his job that he worked at it constantly.

In fact, he was working on an article at home when he started experiencing chest pains that were becoming increasingly severe. Before he would agree to let his wife Karen call 9-1-1 he instructed her to, first, go to his computer and send in the article he had written. He made it to the hospital, but passed away several days later.
But, here's the gift he left for me. As I said it is two-fold. First, he caused me to examine my own work ethic. I thought about my writing schedule, the projects I have on the board and the progress or lack thereof for each. When I examined them in light of Steve's dedication, I saw that mine really paled in comparison. I was able to see more clearly was I had let myself down, but even more than that I had let the Lord down because I had not worked hard enough on many of the ideas he had blessed me with. I resolved to do a better job of scheduling and working harder.
Now here's the second part of the blessing Steve left me. I wish I had not have to receive it in the way it was passed on, but that is what happened. I realized that Steve had pushed himself so hard that his health had slipped probably to the extent he wasn't aware of. He probably didn't take time to take care of himself, consequently, he was not able to enjoy all the day-by-day blessings in his life.
"Who does not thank for little will not thank for much." -- Estonian Proverb
So, Steve left me the blessing of realizing that more care and hard work should be devoted to my projects, but I should also pace myself and approach each day with thankfulness. Never failing to pause and to praise God and practice thanksgiving every day, not just the fourth Thursday in November.
In closing, let me express my thankfulness for each of you who took the time to read this devotion and do so throughout the year. May God's richest blessings truly be yours.
"Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone."--Gertrude B. Stein
"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. "--Henry Van Dyke
Monday Prayer: Lord, we come to you in this season of Thanksgiving with grateful hearts for all your blessings. We thank you for the Thanksgiving Holiday tradition modeled for us by the Pilgrims and pray that this spirit of thankfulness will prevail all year long.
***author's note: Happy Thanksgiving!



Jesus (November 11, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Jesus remains a priest forever, His priesthood will never end. Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through Him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf.                                   Hebrews 7: 24-25
In researching his book "The Jesus I Never Knew" Philip Yancey spent months in three seminaries─one Catholic, one liberal Protestant, one conservative evangelical─ reading about Jesus. He says, "It was daunting, in the extreme, to walk in the first day and see not just shelves but entire walls devoted to books about Jesus."
Want to throw "Google" into a state of semi-confusion? Just type in "how many books written about Jesus?" There is no direct answer available. Suffice it to say there would be a lot of libraries completely filled up with only books about the one we call Savior if they were "Jesus Exclusive" libraries.
Jesus has impacted more lives than any other man who ever lived. He has prompted more controversy as well. The dividing line is whether a person believes Jesus is the Son of God or just a great moral teacher or prophet.
Yancey says, "It would be easier, I sometimes think, if God had given us a set of ideas to mull over and kick around and decide whether to accept or reject. He did not. He gave us himself in the form of a person."
One page later (pg 262) Yancey adds, "Jesus' audacious claims about himself pose what may be the central problem of all history, the dividing point between Christianity and other religions. Although Muslims and, increasingly, Jews respect Jesus as a great teacher and prophet, no Muslim can imagine Mohammed claiming to be Allah any more than a Jew can imagine Moses claiming to be Yahweh. Likewise, Hindus believe in many incarnations but not one Incarnation, while Buddhists have no categories in which to conceive of a sovereign God becoming a human being."
Jesus is really not someone you can be neutral about. One way or another Jesus impacts everyone's life. But, each person establishes his or her own relationship with Him. Or a person has no relationship at all because they don't pursue one or don't acknowledge that Jesus is pursuing them to establish one.
In the book "The Shack" when Mack is talking to Jesus about His relationships Jesus says:"Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists, or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans, and many who don't vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.."
Then Mack logically asks, "Does that mean that all roads will lead to you?"
"Not at all," smiled Jesus as he reached for the door handle to the shop. "Most roads don't lead anywhere. What it does mean is that I will travel any road to find you."
Obviously when we consider those thoughts about Jesus we see that he doesn't write off the possibility of having a relationship with anyone. He is openly pursuing the heart of every person. It doesn't matter what institution, system or organization you have allegiance to, you are not disqualified or ineligible from becoming friends with Jesus.
Yancey calls Jesus a sinless friend of sinners. He writes (pg 258): "When Jesus came to earth, demons recognized him, the sick flocked to him and sinners doused his feet and head with perfume. Meanwhile he offended pious Jews with their strict preconceptions of what God should be like.
Jesus was the friend of sinners. He commended a groveling tax collector over a God-fearing Pharisee. The first person to whom he openly revealed himself as Messiah was a Samaritan woman who had a history of five failed marriages and was currently living with another man. With his dying breath he pardoned a thief who would have zero opportunity for spiritual growth."
Hey, all that makes it seem like we got a chance to be friends with the one who, without one ounce of braggadocio claimed to be the Messiah. It was the opposite of the modern "if-you've-got-it-flaunt it" attitude we so often see.
Obviously it is difficult to fully-comprehend his ways. Yancey said "The more I studied Jesus, the more difficult It became to pigeon-hole him. ..One day miracles seemed to flow out of Jesus; the next day his power was blocked by people's lack of faith. One day he talked in detail about the Second Coming; another, he knew neither the day nor hour."
Yancey further states that "God is, in a word, Christlike." He says that because "Jesus presents a God with skin on whom we can take or leave, love or ignore. In this visible, scaled-down model we can discern God's features more clearly."
Hey, that's what God had in mind. How could we ever understand his infinite might, power, creativity and awesomeness unless we had an example togo by. Someone who looked more like us and experienced worldly pleasures and pain. The brilliance of his plan is astounding if we take time to think about it.
Ultimately though, Yancey says that even though all the studying he did still raised a lot of questions he remains a Christian for two reasons. First, he finds no acceptable alternative. The second, is "Jesus!. Brilliant, untamed, tender, creative, slippery, irreducible, paradoxically humble─Jesus stands up to scrutiny. He is who I want my God to be."
I don't think any of us could ever fully understand Jesus. There is a vast gulf between God and humanity because He is "supreme, omnipotent, transcendent, and any limited contact with him puts human beings at risk. The good news is we don't have to measure up. Through Jesus His love, friendship and saving grace is available to us no matter who we are or what stage of our life we are in.
So, in a way we all continue to search for Jesus. Inevitably, Yancey says, "that search for Jesus turns out to be one's own search. No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same."
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for making yourself available to us as friend and Savior and for the sacrifice you made because you love us. Amen!
**** Author's note: I thought I might have chosen a topic that was beyond my ability to put in a single devotion. After all the books about Jesus fill many library shelves. Yet the things I included are what I needed to think about and I hope they will capture your focus as well this week.

Too Goofy to be God? (November 4, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you know. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know? Job 38:4-5
But, He (God) said. You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." Exodus 33:20
"Surely we can reject the image of God as humorless, autocratic tyrant without needing to reinvent him as court jester!" ‘Finding God in the Shack' pg 71 (Rauser)
  "Jesus had dropped a large bowl of some sort of batter or sauce on the floor, and it was everywhere. It must have landed close to Papa (Father) because the lower portion of her skirt and bare feet were in the gooey mess. All three were laughing so hard that Mack didn't think they were breathing. Sarayu (Spirit) said something about humans being clumsy and all three started roaring again."
That paragraph from "The Shack" book is interesting because how many of us ever think of God as laughing, or even smiling? The main character, Mack, by invitation, has come to the Shack to meet with God and the above referenced scene depicts good-natured, fun interaction between the members of the Trinity. It is also cause for some folks to label this mega-best-selling book as heresy. So, why is that?
Do we have to put God in this giant box that only allows for scowls, frowns, anger and judgement? Does God have a sense of humor? What picture do you see, in your mind, when you contact God? What does he look like? Is He too superior to even smile at our little human mishaps and funnies? Who does He think He is anyway...God?
Randal Rauser, associate professor of historical theology in Edmonton, Canada states in his book "Finding God in the Shack:" "Some have embraced the image of an intimate, laughing God as a liberating and refreshing challenge to the picture of God as angry, judgmental, and distant. But others worry that a mirthful, giggling God does not liberate us so much as reflect the distortions of a culture that is widely skeptical of power, authority and reverence."
Think about some of your close friends. What is appealing about them? Why do you call them friends? Do you enjoying spending time with them? Even if it is just a telephone conversation, is it pleasant?   Now, consider this. How many of these friends have NO sense of humor?
I'd venture to say that you can laugh with all of your close friends. That's one of the reasons they are your friends. If everything is always dead serious and you must take a "lets-solve-all-the-world's-problems' approach" with them, what fun is that? Seems it would create more problems than it resolves.
We want our friends to be someone we can talk with about things. We want to laugh with them, get serious at times, but not have to fear receiving judgment and disappointment from them. Granted, friendships exist on different levels.   Some are casual and others more intimate. But, any friendship that is always addressing doom-and-gloom is doomed. It is not one we would care to foster.
So, if we want to establish and deepen a relationship with God what are we looking for? We certainly want to be friends with God. But, do we have to be quivering, weak-kneed yes-men to maintain a relationship with God?
God certainly got Job told didn't He? When Job was whining and complaining about all the unjust things that were happening to him. God boomed out from that thunderstorm and put Job in his place. But, in the end as the Quest Study Bible says,
"Perhaps the most comforting revelation of all for Job was that God was still his friend. Though he seemed silent or even absent at times, God was no mere spectator of Job's suffering. He was with Him through the experience."
Jesus pointed out that we need a Divine friend to help us n our lives everyday when he told the disciples of his departure. Not just any friend, but an intimate friend who would have our well-being as a primary concern. "...when the Friend comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine." (John 16:13-15)
Rauser said that he once saw a painting in an art gallery of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He was riding, stone-faced on the donkey. He thought the picture implied that laughter was beneath Jesus, since God cannot crack a smile. It really seemed to be the antithesis of all the joy and cheering that was being bestowed on him by the crowd.
Rauser adds: "Where did this strange idea come from? All the evidence suggests that Jesus was very witty and had an excellent sense of humor! What's wrong with Jesus telling a silly joke to the apostles around the campfire?"
I don't think Rauser intends any disrespect. And certainly we can't bring God down to our level. Wouldn't want to. How disastrous would that be? But, the point I want you to consider in finishing up this devotion is your relationship with the one who wants to be your best friend. Think of Him in the light of love and joy and there's nothing sour-pussed about that.
The Shack does a good job of stimulating our thinking about the importance of relationships...especially the one we have with our God. There is a whole lot more warmth and laughter and friendliness involved than cold, joyless, unfriendly communication.
Certainly we need to respect and honor God. I don't advocate trivializing his Omnipotence or not praising Him and showing our gratitude for His blessings. I just think God loves smiling happy people and considering laughter and fun when communicating with Him doesn't make our God seem goofy at all!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessings of fun and laughter, happiness and joy. We treasure our relationship with you. Communicating with you keeps us happy and smiling as we celebrate your love for us. Amen!
*** Author's note: Have fun with the Lord this week. Lighten up and smile as you pray and experience the joy!



Expecting the Unexpected (October 28, 2009) by Jim Crosby

For I have learned to get along happily whether I have much or little .I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.                                                                                  Philippians 4:11-13
What is your plan for that time when the unexpected happens? Oh man, you say, "I've got enough trouble just dealing with the expected like the rent coming due on the first of the month; trying to live within a budget ‘cause I ain't gonna be getting a pay raise in this economy; Christmas will be here and I've got to find money for presents... is that enough yet."
Well, most of that involves money and of course that's not the extent of it. We know there will be time demands, and pressure to keep up a busy schedule and still find time to exercise, eat right, get proper rest. The list of the "expected" is endless and you're asking me to expect the unexpected?
Yes, that's what I'm doing because the unexpected is going to happen. In a recent talk and devotion I referred to expecting the unexpected as one of the ways to win in life. It's not that you can predict what the unexpected event will be. If you could then it would be expected...not unexpected. It's just that we know unexpected things will happen because no single day ever goes, exactly, precisely, 100% like you planned or hoped for.
Not to say there aren't a lot of good days happening for us. Just that they don't usually happen just the way we expect for them to...doesn't make them bad days just ones containing unexpected things.
So that brings up another point to consider. What if the unexpected thing that happens is something really good. Those things happen in our lives. You get an unexpected tax refund...yes, that does happen the Lovely Susette and I can vouch for that (Thank you Lord). Or an unexpected phone call from a dear friend or family member. Someone gives you an unexpected, totally unsolicited, not-even-thought-about gift.
We've all had these kinds of things happen in our lives. Those are not a problem. It's when the unexpected is something bad that happens we have difficulty. The whole point of this devotion is to stress not letting these thinks throw you. They make knock you down, but you don't have to stay there.
Realistically, some unexpected bad news or turn of events are harder to rebound from than others. But, if underlying everything you have a mind set that you will have some unexpected bad things happen that is a great start toward victory in your life.
And if you are determined to turn these unexpected events over to the Lord for help you will rebound, recover and grow through them.
The apostle Paul had a lot of unexpected things happen in his life. I'm sure the last thing he ever expected was to become a follower of Jesus after he had spent so much time and effort in persecuting Christians. But, the unexpected thing that happened to him turned out to be good in the long run and it completely turned his life around.
In writing to the church at Philippi Paul talked about the unexpected. Basically he was saying that so many unexpected things had happened in his life that he had come to expect the unexpected. He had become a master at "making the adjustment" to fit the situation.
Paul says I have learned to get along happily whether I have much or little. So it really didn't matter to him if everything was taken away due to unexpected occurrences he knew he could get by and even prosper because " I can do everything with the help of Christ who fives me the strength I need."
Imagine that. Even when Paul was in prison he was able to adjust. He had a bit of advice along those lines. The NLT commentary says: "Imagine never worrying about anything! It seems like an impossibility; we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But, Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Philippians 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human min can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
Paul is saying that God is not only God of the expected things we experience but He is God of the unexpected as well. He knows when the unexpected hurts us, but He will help us turn around those events and make lemonade out of those lemons.
That sounds pretty simplistic doesn't it? Well, it is. God is listening. He hears our prayers He knows our hurts and He hurts with us when the world deals us an unexpected blow.
In the book "The Shack," Papa (God) shares with Mack that God feels our pain. When Mack's daughter was murdered God deeply felt the pain as well. How does one deal with that kind of unexpected happening?
But, together Mack and Papa begin to work their way through that "Great Sadness" and Mack begins to recover from the unexpected.
Sometimes the unexpected changes us and we are never exactly the same again. But, it does not have to defeat us. If expect that the unexpected is going to happen in our lives and then we turn it over to God we are on the road to recovery before the unexpected even occurs.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for always watching over us especially when the unexpected occurrences beat us down. You always help us get back up. Amen!
***Author's note: Expect the unexpected this week. Who knows? The unexpected might be something great. If it isn't it won't catch you totally off-guard and you will be able to handle it with God's help.

Pocket Time (October 21, 2009) by Jim Crosby

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.                       Ecclesiastes 3:1
Have you heard it said that "time means nothing to God." Well, if that's trueI wonder why "time" is mentioned in 625 verses of scripture in the Bible? (Strong's Concordance).
When people talk about God in relation to time they probably mean that God is not time-bound. Nothing God has planned can be time-restricted because he can overturn it. But, God chooses not to overtly "mess" with time because He allows us to function freely and make our own choices.
But, God is concerned about how we use this gift of time that He provides for us. Let's face it. No one likes to thoughtfully choose, gift-wrap, and personally deliver a gift only to see the recipient never use that gift. I think it is the same with God. Each day He gives us a fresh 24-hours and it pleases Him when we appreciate this gift by using time wisely.
Our scripture lesson from Ecclesiastes 3 says that "there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven." As God created the universe He did so within a time-frame. There are certain activities that fit best under special conditions (seasons). Verses two through eight talk about the seasons in which various activities work best.
Recently I spoke to the local Civitan Club about "The Importance of Winning." In researching the talk it was reemphasized to me that time is an important factor in winning football games and in the game of life. And a concept that I unearthed in my preparation and used immediately was that of "pocket time." It's probably something you were already familiar with, but may not have thought a lot about it. In fact, it is a simple, but valuable concept.
Drawing on that talk here's what I learned and revealed about pocket time:
"A little concept I discovered is called "pocket time." I have used it to great advantage since I learned about it. In fact, most of this talk was conceived on pocket time. Pocket time consists of those clumps of time that appear unexpectedly that can be put to great use.
Say you wake up a half hour earlier than you usually do. As the saying goes you "have time on your hands." You can use this pocket of time productively. Rather than just sitting in the easy chair with your coffee and "veg-ing out" make a plan for the day or if you've already planned today then review the plan. Think about the kinds of things you want to get done and how you want to accomplish them.
Or maybe you have a doctor's appointment. Now, how many times have you had a 9 am appt., walked in the doctor's office and actually got to see the "Doc" at the time of your appointment? I'd venture to say "none." Never happens! Usually you can count on waiting a half and hour, maybe even an hour before you get to see him.
Use that pocket time wisely. Instead of sitting there for a half-hour reading a six-month-old copy of Newsweek or Good Housekeeping, do some planning. Make some notes. Or bring a good book along with you. Perhaps a motivational book. Something to sharpen and improve your mind.
Since Labor Day, The Lovely Susette and I have been working with the FSU College of Medicine, implementing a grant they received for physical fitness training of elementary school children. This is a 3 year study measuring obesity in kids which will hopefully head off health problems in the long-run.
While we were doing this there were little clumps of pocket time between classes and I always made sure I had a pen and notebook paper so I could jot down notes. I actually wrote most of this talk while sitting in a chair during breaks. Then, at night, I would type my notes into script form." So, I practically created that entire (23 minute) talk using pocket time. Of course, I had my Blackberry Cell Phone with me and could use Google to research my topic during that free time as well.
So, pocket time was a valuable concept I uncovered in talking about how to be a winner. But, since we are talking about time and winning, let me also share what I believe is one of the most important things in having success in life. It really goes along with our scripture lesson from Ecclesiastes.
Treat time as a valuable resource. Make it your ally, not your enemy. Treasure every minute and thank God for each new day. Ask Him to help you make the most of it. Don't just fall into another day. Yawn..."oh well here it is time to get up. Guess I'll go get some coffee and try to wake up." Then trudge on off to work.
Or..."guess I'm gonna have to spend another day fishing. Same old, same old. Hope I don't catch anything or I'll have to take it off my hook."
No, I'm saying get up and approach the day with vigor. Assess your situation. Think about what you are thinking about. Are these thoughts positive and constructive. Will they get me somewhere? Or are they negative, complaining, whining, going-nowhere thoughts?
You see...what you are thinking is something you can do something about. No one has control over that but YOU. And conditioning your mind to start treating time as your friend...as a great resource, is a sure-fire way to make each day a winner.
The other points I made in the talk about winning in life were:
2) Plan tomorrow, today. 3 ) Do it now...don't let things pile up. 4) Expect the unexpected and don't let those surprise occurrences throw you. When they happen make the adjustment.   The final and most important thing is to Pray (about everything.)
No doubt about it. Time is important. And pocket time is a true gift. In fact, since it rained-out our kid-testing today, I used that "pocket of time" to write and share this devotion with you.
Monday Prayer: Thank you Lord for the gift of time and for the special gift of "pocket time" that delightfully occurs and enables us to refresh and renew our productive efforts. Amen!
***author's note: Hope you are blessed with some pocket time this week. It may be that you need to use that time to rest and relax. Sometimes that is the best use of pocket time.


Is God Nodding Your Way? (October 14, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. Hebrews 1:1

In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God and he was God. He was in the beginning with God.   John 1:1-2

A few years ago I was talking with a lady who was involved in a weekly women'ssmall group Bible study. She said that they always started their meeting by sharing God Nods they had received individually during the previous week.
Say what? God Nods? What's that? Well since that conversation I've studied up on God Nods. I've tried to become more alert for the God Nods that occur in my life. I've also thought back to things that have happened in my life and come up with a kind of self-created definition based on personal experience:
                        A God Nod is a communication from God to us that directs our actions.
                        It may take any of a variety of forms, but is usually experienced as
                        a  strong feeling about a decision we should make. In  other words, God is
                       nodding   in the direction we should go. He is   urging, but He is letting us exercise
                       our free will to decide what to do.
It is important to think about communicating with God. How do we receive messages from Him? How do we let him know what we are thinking and ask for His help?
First, let's analyze how we communicate in life. When you think of communicating with another person what is the first thing that comes to mind? Words! Speaking to another person is usually the easiest, most direct way to get your message across. Just tell them. Say what you are thinking.            .
So when it comes to how God communicates with us how does He do it? The same way? Well, sometimes he does, but most of the time he uses other, even more creative ways. . In the Bible we see instances of God communicating his message to people in a wide variety of ways. He did it through angels; dreams; writing on the wall; a talking donkey; pillars of cloud and fire; one guy was swallowed by a fish; and sometimes he communicated verbally. One of our key scriptures Hebrews 1:1 says that long ago many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
He is still communicating with us in many ways today. One of the ways that I think he communicates with us today is by using one of those God Nods I previously defined.. I think this is a way that God can reach us that renders words unnecessary.
Let me explain how this can happen by referring to my book "Monday Morning Devotions", published in 2002. Chapter 13, pg 66.
"Think about it. Have you ever done something that turned out well...something you were really proud of accomplishing? Later in thinking about it you remember, "Something told me I should do that. You don't know where the inclination came from, but you just felt a little inner nudge to do it and it worked out well. That was probably a God Nod!"
"It was a move you needed to make and God just gave you a little nod to say "do it." He didn't hit you over the head with it. It wasn't a dramatic, earth shaking thing. it was just a little urge, maybe a small voice in your head or a feeling, that you should go ahead." You did and it worked out great. Sometimes we are so happy celebrating our success that we don't stop to think back and recall that little go ahead nod that God gave us."
"Or maybe somebody showed up at just the right time when you needed information or help. Perhaps you came across a helpful scripture when you were searching for answers. Maybe you happened onto an informative article or discovered something on the Internet that gave you some much needed answers."
"Although it may seem small at the time, a God Nod can lead to big things. We all have God Nods in our lives. Often we just don't recognize them for what they are. Nothing happens merely by chance. God knows our needs. He has a plan for us. He wants us to succeed. He wants us to know his will."
There are various ways to receive God Nods. Just like God communicated in a variety of ways to His people in ancient times...he still does. He may send us a God Nod through prayer; Bible study; worship; conversation; or personal experiences and who knows how many other ways. Or he may just strategically put a random thought in your mind with the hope that you will follow up on it.
God Nods tend to get us going in the right direction. Get started on the best path. Get us going God's way. If you are taking a trip you definitely want to start of going the right way so you will get to the desired destination. If you want to go to the North Pole you'd probably better head north. Because if you start heading south you might go to the South Pole instead.
Sometimes you may ignore a God Nod for awhile. Or maybe you don't recognize it for what it really is. But, God can be pretty persistent. He may not let your avoidance of his God Nod just slide by. In 1998, I ignored a God Nod to start doing Monday Morning Devotions a work...for awhile.
But, after some restless nights ensued and I couldn't stop thinking about this little Nod I had received to start doing devotions at work, I recognized it for what it was. A God Nod directing me to start doing Monday Morning Devotions. So, I gave in. Okay God you won again. And I started doing the devotions at work and that's why you are now reading an on-line Monday Morning Devotion. It all started with a God Nod.
So be alert for those God Nods. Then, be prepared for something wonderful to happen in your life. Amen!
Prayer: Lord, help us to be alert for those God Nods you send our way. We realize that you are urging us to go in a direction that will enrich our lives when we are alert and respond to them.
Author's note: God Nods. Some will be coming your way this week. So be alert. Stay on your toes. God wants to communicate with you.





Finding God- (October 7, 2009) by Jim Crosby

My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try not to groan aloud. If only knew where to find God I would go to His throne and talk with Him there. I would lay out my case and present my arguments. Then I would listen to His reply and understand what He says to me.    Job 23:1-5
Do you ever feel like it is hard to find God? Just seems that he is elusive? Unfindable. It's like He is a big mystery. Hard to understand His ways and to even discover where He is.
Old Testament character Job felt that way. Listen to his predicament in Job Chapter 23 verse 8. "I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. It turn to the south, but I cannot find him.
Let's do a quick review of Job's situation and see why he so desperately wanted to find God. His world, as it used to be, had fallen apart. The reason, unknown to Job, was because of a bet God had made.
Well, maybe "bet" is not the proper term to use. It conjures up a vision of somebody placing money on-the-line. Of course money means nothing to God. What is important to God is our character. How our life plays out because of who we are, what we believer, and what we do.
But, in this case God did accept a verbal challenge from Satan. Was God tricked, deceived, or sucked in to a compeition with Satan? Hardly. A confrontation with God is not really any competition. His omniscience gives Him a pretty big advantage.
Satan challenged God, who had been bragging on Job calling him "the finest man in all the earth" to let him shake Job's faith. He said that given free reign to work on Job, i.e. take away his riches and sour his earthly relationships and "he will surely curse you to your face." God says, "You're on." But, he warned Satan that he could not harm Job physically.
So it was "game on" and misfortune after misfortune began to plague Job. Got so bad he cried out to the heavens, but received no answer from God.
Has this ever happened to you? Not the part about God betting with Satan concerning your welfare. Although there is a continuing battle for your soul. Satan is trying to usurp God's influence in your life and place his deceptively attractive plans in your path.
Of course, his plans depend on how you react to the temptations he sends your way. The more you fall for them the greater your need to find God becomes because of the separation from Him caused by sins. Then, when you feel like you are on the verge of becoming totally lost and need God most it seems difficult to contact and hear from Him. So, how do you find God?
In the mega-best selling book "The Shack," the main character, "Mack" (Mackenzie Allen Phillips), ,actually finds God. And what happens when he does is completely different than anything he could have imagined.
The Great Sadness has descended on Mack. His youngest daughter has disappeared and there is evidence that she has been brutally murdered. So, Mack is not only angry, confused and of course deeply saddened, but he can't understand how a loving God could let that happen.
What Mack discovers when he finds God completely rocks his world. In the novel he receives a letter from "Papa" which is the name his wife, Nan, has for God. The letter asks him to meet Papa at the Shack, the place where his daughter had apparently been murdered since her bloody dress was found there.
So, what happens when we do actually find God in our life as Mack did? Sometimes we need to be prepared to be totally shocked, just like Mack was. You see, we can't formularize God. We can't put him in a box. We can never completely understand him and comprehend the totally mystery that surrounds him.
In a number of devotions I've referred to Jeremiah 29:13 in which God flat-out says: "If you look for me in earnest you will find me." The NLT Bible says; "In times of dire circumstances, it may appear as though God has forgotten you. But, God may be preparing you, for a new beginning with him at the center."
Ever get hit in the stomach and have all the breath momentarily knocked out of you. You can see and hear what is going on, but you just can't breathe. It's like you are a walking...uh, zombie. You feel suspended in time. You are still alive. But, you just can't breathe for a few seconds and to be considered to be alive you need to be breathing.
Well sometimes life gives us one of those blows to the stomach. You are alive, but you are not really sure, at that particular time, that you want to be. You're gasping for air...for something positive you happen. You desperately need to find God.
Well, hears the good news. You don't actually have to find God. He will find you. Just ask Him too. Call out to Him. He knows Satan is working on you. But, He won't let Satan have total control.
Just like God finally rescued Job and turned his life around, so will He do that for you. But, you will learn some valuable lessons along the way. You will do some growing as a person and as a Christ-follower.
Mack would have never come to an understanding of why bad things can happen to a good person, neither would Job, and neither would you and I without being available to God. Trusting Him, keeping the faith, and no matter what the circumstances always trying to find God.
The beauty of it all is when you need him most and really try to find God, He will find you!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for always finding us when we need you most! Amen!
***author's note: Hope you will remember to let God find you this week.




A Powerful Resource (September 30, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.   James 5: 16 b
How important is prayer in your life? Is praying something that you do frequently, seldom, or almost never? Where do you pray? At the dinner table before meals, at bedtime, in church? Who do you pray with your spouse, family, friends, Sunday school class or small group? All those are important questions and they are ones that we probably give little thought to. Prayer is either an integral part of our lives or it isn't. People who are not really "praying people" may become immersed in prayer when misfortune strikes.
The NLT Bible says "Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails; this approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God's power is infinitely greater than ours; it only makes sense to rely on it─ especially because God encourages us to do so."
Whenever we do a job whether it is making a sales presentation, building something, painting, writing, or something else we take advantage of the resources that are available to us. We have a plan as to how we are going to get the chore accomplished. We research it, we use the tools that are available and do it.
"The Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer." So, doesn't it just logically follow that we would make use of this resource often...in fact in everything we do? If so, why don't we.
I hate to say it, but sometimes we just don't think about it. We are busy people. Life comes at you fast every day. As I get a little older, I see at what a fast pace we are living. That's because I have something to compare it to...the changing times. I'm sure young folks don't see it that way. They've just grown up in a society that rushing past. They give little thought to this because it's just a way of life...the only one they have known.
So, whether you have become acclimated to the rush of time or you've just taken it for granted....there is a tendency to not use the greatest resource you have...prayer. You've just gotten us to solving one problem after another and moving on. Maybe the solutions aren't always the best, but they are solutions.
There is also a danger of thinking of prayer as just hollow words. You've heard public prayers that drone on and on. You've heard prayers that use such big words that only God would understand them. Maybe you even feel like, since you aren't getting an immediate answer...I mean, we do want things to have instant resolutions, don't we...that it is a futile exercise. Maybe even a waste of time.
Well, let's look at what a guy who has preached to over 10 million people says about it. I'm not talking about somebody who could reach that many with some highly advertised television crusades. I'm referring to someone who wasn't even around when TV was invented, in fact he didn't see the 20^th century come in because he died in 1892.
Charles Spurgeon, who took over a chapel in London in 1859 and built it into a 14,000 member church. He preached over 3,561 sermons and at one time 25,000 copies of these were sold each week and they were printed in 20 languages.
Spurgeon said: "True prayer is "a spiritual transaction with the Creator of heaven and earth...True prayer is a spiritual business from beginning to end, and its aim and object end not with man but reach to God Himself." So much for hollow words.
My mom has always been the ultimate prayer warrior. She has always taken all her concerns as well as her "thank you Lords" to her heavenly Father. She really believes that prayer works. Who's going to argue with her? Certainly not me. She celebrated her 96^th birthday last month.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that the more you think about, utilize and rely on prayer as a great resource then the greater chance you have of enjoying life for all the right reasons.
James said that the "earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." Then he cited as an example the great prophet Elijah who he says
was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again."
Jesus prayed throughout his ministry and his time on earth. It was the way that he talked with his Heavenly Father. It was a conversation. A dialogue. He received strength and instruction. We can receive the same thing. The human side of Jesus needed help. No matter how self-sufficient we may think we are ...we need heavenly help as well.
Naturally there are going to be things that worry us in our lives. In fact, we can become pre-occupied with these. Worries can consume us if we are not careful. The apostle Paul has some good advice when this happens. Philippians 4:6-7: Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
I think what Paul is saying is the same thing James was trying to get across.
Prayer is our most powerful resource.
Prayer: Lord we offer up this prayer to give you thanks for our greatest resource...the power of prayer. We want to use this make everything better and to give you the glory in all things. Amen!
***author's note" Prayer is a wonderful resource and it's free. Make use of it and watch the positive changes occur in your life.


Enjoying the Now (September 23, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Then the man said, "This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger one and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself. You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.   Luke 12:18-19
Had a conversation with The Lovely Susette in which she said that she prefers to focus on what's happening now instead of getting bogged down in the details of the future. I guess hers is an approach similar to a football coach who tells his players to take them one game at a time. The logic behind that line of thinking is if you are more focused on a future opponent, maybe a higher ranked one, than the one coming up next Saturday you could lose to the team you are overlooking. By concentrating on "the future" you mess up "the now."
TLS and I also agreed that I have a tendency to over-focus on what's coming up. While I don't totally ignore the present─still do a good job─ I just need to know what's coming up so I can more fully "enjoy the now." Truthfully, I think from time to time we are all a little guilty of not enjoying the now enough. You know that old "stop and smell the roses" advice. We forget about it.
As I began writing this devotion, with pen and notebook, I was sitting in a lawn chair at an elementary school watching a group of first graders who had just passed through our station and was headed back to class. Let me tell you those kids were "enjoying the now."   One little girl had on a t-shirt that said: "It's my brother's fault." Those kids didn't have one thought or worry about the future.
We are working with selected elementary schools on behalf of the Florida State University College of Medicine. They have received a grant to do Fitness Testing among kids to combat obesity in youngsters. Actually by testing in the "now" hopefully health problems that could affect their "future" can be circumvented."
So, "the now" is important for future considerations. But, the now is more important to be enjoyed and to get things done rather than putting them off. I read a Facebook entry recently that came at the end of a day. The person wrote: "Bulletin: Today will not be repeated." That's right when you tear this page off your calendar or put an "X" in that slot it is final. It ain't coming back. What ever you didn't get done ain't getting' done until another day. If you misses seeing someone or talking to a friend or loved one that opportunity is gone.
All that is pretty simplistic. Am I wasting your time? Hope not. Because the purpose is train us to focus on the day and to wring the most out of it we can before it passes.
Jesus told a parable about forgetting about the now and knocking yourself out with planning for the future to the detriment of the present. It's called the Parable of the Rich Fool. Our Pastor Betsy says a parable is "a true story that never happened." So, it is something to learn from so we aren't caught unawares since it really could and in the case of the parables of Jesus probably will happen.
In the story, a rich man had it all going for him. His soil produced not just a good, but a great crop. In fact, so great that his barns weren't big enough to store it all. So he determined that he would tear those barns down and build bigger ones. He was not satisfied with what he had. He wanted more and more and more. He then said to himself that when all those bigger barns were filled to overflowing he would lean back, put his feet up, relax, eat, drink, and be merry. Then, he would really enjoy the now.
But, read on. In verse 20: "But, God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you."   All that work and he never got to enjoy it. So what was the purpose of the parable. What did Jesus have in mind when he told it. The Message puts it this way: "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."    Jesus was challenging us to think beyond earthbound goals. He wasn't saying not to save for retirement or to make plans beyond today. Without plans the unexpected can make a mess of your life especially if it is a financial concern. But, he is saying that what you are doing right now is important. The way you live and the things you concern yourself with.
The Life Application Bible says that the way to become rich toward God is through faith, service and obedience. Those are also ways to lead to greater enjoyment of the now. Mainly that's because by cultivating those areas of our life we are more easily able to cultivate Jesus' command not to worry.    "Faith can free us from the anxiety caused by greed and covetousness. It is good to work and plan responsibly; it is bad to dwell on all the ways our planning could go wrong...the Creator of the Universe loves us and knows what we need. He promises to meet all our real needs, but no necessarily all our desire."
Really it sometimes just becomes a case of redirecting our thinking. Sometimes we just need to step aside and take a look at what's going on in our life at the moment. Our we getting so uptight that all the enjoyment has been sucked right out of the day.
What if we didn't ever see the fruits of all that worry, hard work and neglect of more meaningful areas of our life. When you look at it that way that should cause to just stop...well, at least pause for awhile...and enjoy the now.
Prayer: Lord, show us how to enjoy the now by granting us the wisdom to strike a balance in our lives between working for the future and appreciating what we have already been graciously given by You!   Amen!
***author's note: When you feel the stress piling up this week, just pause to enjoy the now. This will enable the Lord to show you all the things you have to be thankful for and what's really important.

100 Days of SOAP (September 16, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
A few months ago I told the weekly devotion readers that I would be embarking on a SOAP journey. This is an idea I picked up from Wayne Cordeiro's book, "The Divine Mentor" recommended to me by Pastor Erick Ashley. Our church also encourages us to do the kind of journaling that SOAP involves.
Quick refresher here. SOAP is a method of daily Bible study that involves journaling. Each day you pick the scripture that the Lord has directed you to. Could be something you heard in a sermon; or read in a devotion; or focused on in Sunday School or a small group study; or any of a variety of ways that the Lord chooses to put a particular scripture in front of you. Some people do this by reading the Bible through from cover to cover over a period of time. Or sometimes you may just open your Bible to no place in particular and see what scripture jumps off the page.
I chose to find the scripture of the day in a variety of ways so I didn't get bogged down. Might be in the Old Testament one day, then the New Testament the next. But, I agree with Jeremiah, the prophet who told the people, on God's behalf, that when they sought Him they would find Him. And one of the best ways to find God is through Holy Scripture.
So for the "S" part, you find and write down a scripture. Then comes "O"---Observation. You record what God is saying to you in that particular scripture. Next for "A" you personalize it...make the scripture your own by asking yourself how that scripture applies to your life at the moment. Then "P" Prayer. You ask God to help you use this scripture in your life.
This has become a most enjoyable and informative exercise for me each day. It has made me think differently. Sometimes a scripture has hit me right between the eyes as if God put it there for me, personally. Other times it has made me feel good about the way some things were going in my life. Scriptures have challenged me; scolded me; softened my heart, encouraged me and run the gamut of emotions in my first 100 Days of SOAP Journaling.   Let me share with you some of the highlights; some things that the Lord put in front of me since I started on May 13, 2009. Oh yeah, you make up a title for each day's reading and put it at the top of the page along with the page number, and date. It is good to keep your daily journal entry to one page:
May 13, 2009: "No Problem." Scripture: 1 John 5:3-5 (Day #1)
"His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes this world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
When I thought about this and tried to apply it during the day, I realized God was telling me not to get uptight...especially with my heavy writing schedule. God has overcome any setbacks the world throws out there and my faith in Him will help me do the same.
Three days later: May 16, 2009: "Good Advice" 1 Thessalonians 5: 11, 16-18
"So encourage each other and build each other up. ..Always be joyful. Keep on praying, no matter what happens always be thankful for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
This verse spoke to me about having the right attitude despite what was happening. Just looking at and appreciating my surroundings and the beauty of His creation made me feel more disposed to how many joyful things I have to be thankful for, but don't always acknowledge.
Day 24-June 8, 2009   "How God Decides" 1 Samuel 7b
"The Lord doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions." 1 Samuel 7b
When people judge by outward appearance they may overlook quality individuals who lack the particular physical qualities society currently admires. This is a good example to me not to judge others or make snap decisions based on how they look, but to search for the inner qualities and goodness that everyone possesses.
Sometimes it can get pretty discouraging out there can't it. We all face rejection at times. Here's a day of SOAP that helped me.
Day 30- June 15, 2009: "Help in Trouble" Psalm 9: 9-10
The Lord is a shelter fro the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble for those who know your name, trust in you. For you O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you/" Psalm 9:9,10
Let me quote my entry that day" "Recent discouragement due to a very cold, informal, tacky rejection from a Christian Publisher for a book proposal I submitted has made me think and reconsider my work and my motives. This verse reminds me God is still there and He has a plan and I am thankful for all His blessings." This verse reminded me of the coach's instructions in the movie, "Facing the Giants." He told the team that from that point on they were going to praise God when they won and they were going to praise God when they lost. So I keep on writing and praising him (sidenote here: three other writing and three speaking opportunities came my way thereafter.:)
Day 53-July 13, 2009 "Integrity" Luke 16:10
Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.
My "A" response: "Paying more attention to what's before me instead of just dreaming about bigger things is important. Daily, I'm building a life, and while it's okay to dream big and make plans, paying attention to what God wants me to do day-by-day is important and doing these with integrity is ultra-important."
Day 70-July 31, 2009 "No Grudges Held" Psalm 130:3-5
Lord if you kept a record of our sins, who could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness that we might learn to fear you. I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on Him. I have put my hope in His word.
"This is comforting. It tells me the lines of communication are always open no matter how bad I have messed up. God is waiting to forgive me when I repent and ask Him."
Day 91 August 22, 2009- "Be a Listener" James 2: 19-20
My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.
"I want to become better at listening and retaining the important things that others say. Not just what's important to me, but what's important for them to get out."
And finally, this one on Day 90- August 20, 2009. It is significant because it was The Lovely Susette's birthday. It's entitled: "The Loveliest." Song of Songs 2:2; 4:1; 7:9; and 8:6b
*Compared to other women my beloved is like a lily among thorns.
* How beautiful you are my beloved, how beautiful.
*May your kisses be as exiting as the best wine, smooth and sweet, flowing over
   teeth and lips.
* Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame
The application read: "I just want to sing God's praises and enjoy my time with TLS
today. I hope the whole day is enjoyable for her."
And yes it was one of the loveliest and most memorable of times for us. I
In fact, everyday of SOAP journaling carries it's own special memories you can return to time and again.

Monday Prayer: Lord, thank you for the way your Word inspires us and the potential it has for transforming our lives when we are open and available to You.

****Author's note: Sure would be a good week to start SOAP journaling. Any day, you open the Bible, and ask God to direct you, is a good day.

Benchwarmers (September 9, 2009 (by Jim Crosby)

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58
"No one gets picked for a team and then wants to sit on the bench....We don't want a life on the sidelines...We are built for meaning the way Porsches are built for speed."
Those observations by John Ortberg ("When the Game is Over it All Goes Back in the Box) take us beyond athletics. If you stop to think about the satisfaction quotient in your life, you'll discover that the more satisfying times have come when you were participating in something rather than observing. We want to make a difference and to do that we must search for our mission in life. Everyone has an assignment, but not everyone fulfills it.
While on that subject let me relate a really neat story from Ortberg's book. It's the story of Johnny the bagger. Johnny was a 19-year old with Down's Syndrome who worked as a bagger in a grocery store.
Along with 3,000 workers for this supermarket chain Johnny went to a training event. The speaker talked about "how people can make a difference." Basically she told the employee-gathering that included truck drivers, cashiers, stockers and others that "every interaction with another person is a chance to create a memory, to bless someone's life."
The talk inspired Johnny and he decided that rather than sitting on the bench as simply a grocery bagger he would become a difference-maker. "He decided that every night when he came home from work, he would find a ‘thought for the day" for his next shift. It would be something positive, some reminder of how good it was to be alive, or how much people matter or how many gifts we are surrounded by. If he couldn't find one , he would make it up."
Each evening, with his Dad's help Johnny would enter the saying on his computer, six times per page, then print 50 pages. Next, he cut out and signed 300 copies.
Then he would bag a person's groceries, put his saying on the top of the grocery bag, look the person straight in the eye and say, "I've put a great saying in your bag. I hope it helps you have a good day. Thanks for coming here."
About a month later the store manager was making his rounds and noticed that Johnny's check-out line was three times longer than anyone else's. He got on the loudspeaker and announced that other no-waiting lines were opening. But, he couldn't get anyone to move out of Johnny's line that was backed up all the way to the frozen food section. Nobody wanted to move. They all wanted to get Johnny's saying for the day.
Johnny refused to be a benchwarmer. He got in the game. "Johnny is doing more than filling bags with groceries. He is filling lives with hope."
Of course it is one thing to get off the bench and into the game. It is another to do it with great enthusiasm. Going through the motions, just to say you participated is not much better than sitting on the bench and cheering the workers on. Johnny put a lot into his game plan. The care he put into it came through clearly.
Corinthians 15:58 reminds us to be enthusiastic about the Lord's work because whatever we do has meaning. It is never useless. Like Frank Lloyd Wright said, "God is in the details." Sometimes we might feel like what we are doing is unimportant and maybe it won't dramatically change the world around it. Often change comes in small increments that are hardly noticeable to begin with. But, you are changing. You are making a commitment to improve. In the long run that will pay off.
"Paul says that because of the resurrection, nothing we do is useless. Sometimes we become apathetic about serving the Lord because we don't see any results. Knowing that Christ won the ultimate victory should affect the way we live right now. Don't let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from doing the work of the Lord enthusiastically as you have opportunity. (NLT pg 1828)
The way to get started with this change of lifestyle is to simply start where you are. You don't have to change jobs, or churches, or favorite teams or leisure activities. As radio sports talk host Colin Cowherd says, "It is more important to live in the ‘is', than to live in the ‘was.' " Maybe what you are already doing is very important and you don't realize it.
Ortberg's wife, Nancy, relates the story of the husband who came home from work and right away noticed the house was a disaster. "The baby was crying, dirty dishes were all over the counters, dirty laundry was hanging from doorknobs, the TV was blaring, beds were unmade, carpets were unvacuumed, dust was undisturbed, and dinner was uncooked. When he wanted to know what happened, his wife told him. You know how you always ask me what I've been doing all day? Well, today I didn't do it."
Yes, there may be times when we feel like a benchwarmer, but it is not until we don't do what we normally do before we realize our contribution is significant. We really are in the game and without our contribution the team loses.
My suggestion would be to just take a few minutes at the end of the day, like Johnny did. Review and analyze your entire day...work, play, growth, accomplishments and things that were ignored or left undone. How do you gauge your impact? How could you do things better? And don't be too hard on yourself. Cut some slack, but just think about your overall performance that day.
Were you in the game or more of a benchwarmer? Then make the adjustment.
Prayer: We don't want to be benchwarmers, Lord. You've given us the uniform, the team, the talents and we want to use them to make a difference. We ask for your help. Thank you for hearing our prayers. Amen!
***author's note: Okay, no bench warming this week. Let's get in the game and be prepared to marvel at the results. May all your efforts be blessed.



Leap then Look (September 2, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Then the officer said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed"...When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, " I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!"     Matthew 8: 8,10
"Leap, and the net will appear." A statement in the book "The Artists Way" by Julia Cameron. She is basically talking about having faith. Sometimes we just have to be trusting and courageous to take that leap of faith, even though we can't see a safety net to protect us and break the fall. Some acts just require that we leap into the fray without concern that we will suffer harm.
This leap might be spontaneous or considered. It could occur in any area of life. Might be job related, relationship driven, or family oriented. But, we take it because it's important and we have faith, even though we can't see the net or maybe haven't even considered the consequences if it's not there,
Basically, the term "leap of faith" is associated with Soren Kierkegaard, a 19^th century Danish philosopher and theologian. He purported that when you take this leap you make a transition that involves moving directly from one state to another never possessing both qualities simultaneously.
That's why faith comes so strongly into play. You are voluntarily giving up this one state or position and assuming another. You'll be out there, in the air, heading in a new direction confident that the net will be there when you reach this new destination.
Kierkegaard called Christianity a leap of faith. Wikipedia describes his rationale this way. "It is important to understand that Kierkegaard felt a leap of faith was necessary in accepting Chrisitanity due to the paradoxes that exist in Christianity.
In his book "Philosophical Fragments," Kierkegaard delves deep into the paradoxes that Christianity presents. One of these is the belief that there existed a being (Jesus) who is both 100% man and 100% God. Since neither logic nor reason can reconcile this, one would require faith to believe it in light of the paradox. So, when one decides to have faith that a being existed as both God and man, one makes a qualitative change from non-belief to belief, and thus makes a 'leap of faith' that it is true."
Of course, as Christians, we find the leap of faith in trusting Jesus to be a logical one. We have read about him in the Bible. We have accepted him as Savior. We step out in faith by praying, worshiping, and fellowshipping in His name.
Jesus realized that his message was one that required a leap of faith for the hearer to believe that he was the Messiah and to trust in his healing powers. There were even times when the faith of others amazed even Jesus.
An example of that is found in Matthew 6. There was a Centurion, a Roman officer, who commanded great respect from the 100 soldiers he had control over. He had a young servant who he was fond of who was lying in bed "paralyzed and racked with pain." (Mat. 6:6)
The NLT commentary says: "This Roman Officer could have let many obstacles stand between him and Jesus ─pride, doubt, money, language, distance, time, self-sufficiency, power, race. But, he didn't let those barriers block his approach to Jesus."
The Centurion took a leap of faith and approached Jesus. He didn't worry about a safety net. He could have appeared foolish or weak if the servant wasn't healed. But, he believed that Jesus could and would heal the servant and that's what counted. Unlike his neighbors in his home town of Nazareth, who limited the healing powers because of their unbelief, this "hated Gentile's faith put to shame the pompous piety of many of the Jewish religious leaders."
In fact it was such a dramatic faith leap that it amazed Jesus, which I think would be hard to do. The soldier recognized Jesus as Lord and master healer and came humbly to him with his request.
Jesus said, "Sure I will come to your house and heal him."
The centurion felt so unworthy that he didn't even think Jesus should come to his house, but had enough faith that he didn't think Jesus had to go there in order to heal his servant. When he expressed that belief Jesus recognized how genuine his faith was and it amazed Him.
It was unusual for a man with power over people's lives to subvert that control and willingly turn it over to another, especially a Jewish teacher, since he was a Gentile.
Others were so entrenched in their own beliefs, customs and traditions that they refused to make the move that would free them up to follow Jesus. Their safety net had holes in it, but they were unwilling to admit it. The NLT cautions us not to make the mistake they did and "limit God by our mind-set and lack of faith."
The Centurion leaped first and the net did appear. His faith was responsible for the healing of his servant. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth I have not seen faith like this in all the land of Israel."
In his 1992 song, "Leap of Faith" Bruce Springsteen sang:
            "It takes a leap of faith to get things going
            It takes a leap of faith you gotta show some guts
            It takes a leap of faith to get things going
              In your heart you must trust."
Leap, then look. The net will appear!
Prayer: Lord, give us the wisdom and the faith to realize that when we leap you will cause the net to appear.          Amen!
***Author's note: Pray in God's will this week, then don't be afraid to take that leap because amazingly the net will appear.




Carrying the Ball (August 26, 2009) by Jim Crosby

"We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel...Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their aims. Ezra 4:1,4
"No one tries to tackle you if you aren\'t carrying the ball." Those words, read ona Facebook status update recently, got me to thinking. Yeah, it got me to thinking about football with another exciting season upon us. And it also made think it would be a good topic for a devotion. Additionally, it prompted me to consider the good side and the bad side of that statement.
Hey, if nobody is trying to tackle you then you won\'t get banged up, right? You aren\'t gonna hit the ground, unless you just trip and fall on your own, if no one tries to tackle you. To take it beyond football terms the significance of this is if you just stay back in your comfort zone, don\'t take the lead or express an opinion, or make an extra effort to do something, then you it\'s true you probably won\'t catch any grief. But, will you feel fulfilled, like your life has meaning and you are living it to the fullest?
On the other hand if you step out and try to get something started, or improve a situation, circumstance or event, there will be naysayers who crop up. They are the ones who won\'t do it themselves, but they can knock what you are doing. They won\'t get tackled but they sure can do the tackling.
In 586 BC the temple that the Jews had built for God when Solomon was king, was destroyed. In fact, the entire city of Jerusalem was wiped out and the Jews were taken captive to live as exiles in Babylon. A little over 40 years later Babylon was overthrown by King Cyrus of Persia in fulfillment of the prophecy made by Jeremiah. He then sent a decree throughout the kingdom: "The Lord God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem in the land of Judah. All of you who are his people may return to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives In Jerusalem. And may your God be with you."
Okay, that all sounds just fine and dandy doesn\'t it. Really a no-brainer. They are being given an opportunity to go back home and rebuild a temple. That\'s something they would jump on, right? Wrong! Some chose to go back, but the fact of the matter was that many wanted to remain where they were.
Some 48 years after Jerusalem was destroyed many had been born since then and didn\'t even remember the "good old days." The relaxed attitude of the Babylonians and the Persians towards captives enabled them to own lands and homes and to have jobs.
On the other hand those who returned home would face a lot of uncertainty. The NLT Bible says, "The journey back to Jerusalem was difficult, dangerous and expensive lasting over four months. Travel conditions were poor, Jerusalem and surrounding countryside were in ruins; and the people living in the area were hostile." Doesn\'t sound so idyllic any more does it?
Besides that there was going to be a lot of hard work ahead of those who went back. They had to build a temple from scratch...not to mention build new homes, etc. Those who remained where they were would not be tackled because they wouldn\'t be carrying the ball. Those who stepped up in service to God would face a gang of tacklers. NLT says, "We must not let our comfort, security, or material possessions prevent us from doing what God wants."
A friend of ours recently was expressing hurt over some things a close friend had said to her. The things that were said hit directly at what her beliefs were. The fact that she had always been open about what she believed, in fact her whole life spoke to those things, made these slams even more difficult to deal with. So, I pointed out to her that if she wasn\'t carrying the ball nobody would have tried to tackle her beliefs. She could have kept them to herself...gone along a different path and not had to deal with this.
But, that would not have been the way she wanted to live her life, thus she became vulnerable to stray tacklers as well as gang tacklers. Because when you have the ball others will come after it. The good thing is that she knew that God would sustain her and bring her through this just as He had been faithful to do on so many other occasions. Knowing that didn\'t take away the hurt, but it did strengthen her to withstand it.
No runner can make yardage if he has to go it alone. He needs someone to lead the interference...somebody to throw some blocks. That\'s what the Holy Spirit does. He strengthens the believer, so he or she is not intimidated, then throws some solid blocks to knock the tacklers back.
Those who were faithful to their Lord and vacated their comfortable surroundings to go back to Jerusalem and re-build the temple and the city encountered lots of problems. When they got there and started building they were taking the local residents, those who didn\'t believe in the one true God, out of their comfort zone.
So these people started trying to discourage and frighten them. They told the Jews that they would never finish this temple. It would take so long most of them would die before it was finished. They used discouragement and fear as obstacles to the project.
But, as always God was faithful to those who were faithful to him. He used a king, Darius, who was not a follower to make a decree so the workers would be left alone. His decree in Ezra 6:6 said: "Stay away from there! Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be built on its former site." Is that plain enough?
God had provided the interference for the faithful who had stepped out and were running with the ball. All those would-be tacklers were blocked. In 515 AD the temple was completed. When God calls you to do something, don\'t be afraid to carry the ball even though those tacklers loom large on the horizon. God is bigger. He won\'t let you fail.
Prayer: Lord, gives us the courage to carry the ball even though there are tacklers moving up to block our way. Help us use our blocking well. We know the Holy Spirit is a dependable blocker who will clear the way.   Amen~

***author\'s note: Enjoy your week. Make it one in which you don\'t hesitate to Carry the Ball.

God Being God (August 19, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely exclusivelyon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will smooth your paths. Don't imagine you've got it all figured out. Be afraid of the Lord and avoid evil. It will heal your body and bring refreshment to your bones.   Proverbs 3:5-8 (par)
The ancient philosopher Augustine once figured out that "God being God offends human pride. If God is running the universe and has first claim on our lives, guess whoisn't running the universe and does not get to have things as they please." (Renovation of the Heart-Dallas Willard)
Now, who among us would openly admit to being offended that God is running things and we aren't? Nobody. That would be a dumb thing to do. It's one thing for us to be offended by something, but on the other hand, we really don't won't to consider a situation in which we offend God.
But, without actually verbalizing it, we do try to wrest control of our own little universe away from God. We may not say... "God, I know you are busy. So why don't you take a rest on this little matter and I'll handle it." No, we don't tell God we don't need his help, but sometimes our actions belie our words. The old axiom "actions speak louder than words" comes into play more times than we would care to admit.
How many times do we barge into a situation without giving even a thought to God's will in the matter? Do we even pause a few seconds to pray for God's wisdom and guidance before we blunder on along and make a mistake?
We don't have to shoulder that responsibility and take the chance we will do it wrong. Phillip Yancey quotes Tugwell who says; "God is inviting us to take a break, to play truant. We can stop doing all those important things we have to do in our capacity as God, and leave it to him to be God." Yancey then adds: "Prayer allows me to admit my failures, weaknesses, and limitations to One who responds to human vulnerability with infinite mercy. To let God be God, of course, means climbing down from my own executive chair of control. I must uncreate the world I have so carefully fashioned to further my ends and advance my cause."
The founder of Alcoholics Anonymous wrote a book called "Not-God" in which he says that the biggest hurdle for a reforming alcoholic to surmount is to "acknowledge deep in the soul, not being God...the alcoholic must recognize individual helplessness and fall back in the arms of a Higher Power. First of all, they have to quit playing God and then allow God himself to play God." But, acknowledging God is not the key only for alcoholics in handling life problems, it applies to everyone.
In some ways we all face the same kind of denial that an alcoholic battles.. Willard says this (denial) is what "accounts for the perpetual human blindness to the obvious." He further states: "Denial of reality is a capacity inseparable from the human will as we know it, and has its greatest power when it operates without being recognized as such."
It is very easy to see things the way we want them to appear and ignore the reality of the situation. I'm not criticizing folks for doing that. Because we are fallible human beings, this will happen. But, we can make great in-roads into this problem by turning to God for help before we make a move that might not work out.
Theologian Ronald Goetz says that "God acts in response to prayer, but with baffling unpredictability." Can you say Amen to that? I certainly can. Philip Yancey points out the alternatives. God could act alone and ignore our prayers or he could leave matters entirely in our hands with no involvement from Him. He adds: "The first option contradicts the whole motive behind creating personal beings. And the second option is too scary to even contemplate."
Basically what becomes of our relationship with God is one of constant negotiation. "We inform God what we think should be done in the world, and in the process God reminds us of our own role in doing it. Rarely do we get everything we want and I imagine the same holds true for God," said Yancey.
But, here's the great thing about just letting God be God. When you accept that fact and get in step it frees you from a lot of pressure. It frees you from the strain stress and strain that anger puts on your heart. It releases you from unforgiveness. Letting God be God takes away the need to retaliate...to get even, so to speak, when somehow you have been wronged. Dallas Willard says, "This by itself is a huge transformation of the landscape of our life. It removes the root and the source of by far the greater part of human evil we have to deal with in our world.
Sometimes we consciously choose to let God be God and we don't see, hear, feel, or sense what we should do. In the book of James he says, "Come near to God and He will come near to you." But, James left out one thing. The time frame. Yancey says "keeping company with God involves two parties and I have an important role to play in the relationship. So, it just might be in God's timing that a crystal-clear answer is provided. Doesn't mean God has abdicated his throne or is shirking his responsibility.
In His Omniscience God may have discerned that the time was not right for the kind of answer you are looking for. It may not be right for any answer at all. That is still God being God. His timing is always perfect. So hang in there. Exercise a little patience and God will provide an answer when the time is right because that's the way God does business.
Prayer: God help us remember not to react too quickly or to over-react when we don't see the way opening up. Only You...God being God... can make our paths straight.   Amen!
***author's note: Just let God be God this week. It really is the best way.

The Humpty Dumpties (August 12, 2009) by Jim Crosby

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you willbe filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.                                Ephesians 3:17-19
            "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
              Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
            All the king's horses and all the king's men
            Couldn't put Humpty together again."

No, I'm not practicing to be a GrandPa...although I probably should since The Lovely Susette and are expecting our first grandchild in January. Been a long time since we had to tell a little one about Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horner and Jack and Jill. I guess babies are still interested in those characters. Maybe I should brush up on Wolverine; XMen; Spiderman and some other super heroes. But, I probably have a little time on those. Besides we're the grandparents we can tell whatever stories we want to.
But, as I said. This is not about grandparenting. It's about us Humpty Dumpties who fall off the wall and what to do about it when we do. It is a fact of life that everyone will take a fall once in awhile. Probably more than one. Could be business-related; friendship-related; academic-related or love-related.   There are always things floating around out there that are going to bump into us and knock us off of our perch.
As Frank Sinatra sang in "That's Life"---"You're riding high in April; shot down in May." He adds, "I've been up and down, over and out and I know one thing. Each time I find myself flat on my face; I pick myself up and get back in the race."
But, just because you get knocked down you are not a failure. Proverbs 24:16 says for a "righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity." The difference is that the righteous Humpty Dumpty doesn't rely on the king's horses or the king's men. He relies on the King Himself for the repairs that get him back in business.
Setbacks can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones. One thing that you may find helpful when difficulties set in is to remember the 10-90 Rule. "Ten percent of life is what happens to you---the other 90% is how you respond to what happens to you."(Wayne Cordeiro).
Failure isn't getting knocked down off the wall. Failure is refusing to get up. Staying down moaning, whining and complaining. I know there are some things that happen to us in life that just aren't that easy to get over. I don't mention to make light of those steamroller situations. Granted those are not times when you can say okay, stuff happens, and bounce right back up. It takes time.
Still the answer is the same. Only God can mend a broken heart. The Bee Gees asked the question in their hit song "And how can you mend a broken heart. How can you stop the rain from falling down. How can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go around?"
Death of a friend or relative; end of a relationship; failure of a business; a child gets in trouble. Sometimes it seems these kinds of broken hearts abound in the world. But the Great Physician is a master at heart surgery no matter if it is physical, emotional or spiritual.
Dallas Willard, opens his book "Renovation of the Heart" with this line: "We live from our heart." He says. "What is in our "heart" matters more than anything else for who we become and what becomes of us."
Paradoxically the way a heart gets healed is not when we seek to control our heart, but when we freely yield that control. Turning control over to God is the first step in putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Sometimes we just can't let go of what has happened. Our mind keeps dwelling on it. It's hard to get it back together when that is occurring. Ortberg says; "Trusting God means learning to let go of each moment so I am free to fully inhabit the next one."
That's not always easy to do. It takes practice and being determined that you can and will accomplish it.
John Wesley once said, "I can't stop a bird from flying over my head, but I sure can stop him from building a nest in my hair." Wrong thoughts are going to enter our mind from time to time. Things we would just as soon not think about. Maybe that fall we took cost us a great deal of money. Fleeting thoughts about it keep entering our mind. We can't help that.
What we can help, with God's assistance, is not let them dwell there. As soon as they zip in we need to consciously change our thoughts to something else and to think about something positive. Then God can put Humpty Dumpty back together because he will be thinking proper thoughts and that is a starting point.
In The Message, 2 Corinthians 10:5 we read, "We use our powerful God- tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by God."
When we get knocked off the wall that is not the end. Rather it could be the beginning because that's when we must trust God and that's when He can go about the task of putting Humpty Dumpty together again.
Prayer: When we take a big fall Lord help us to remember that you are equal to the task of picking up the pieces and putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Amen!
***Author's note: Obviously God can use even a simple nursery rhyme to remind us of his love and awesome ability to get us going again.


Enjoying the Ride (August 5, 2009) by Jim Crosby

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24
Ever get up on Friday and say, "Gosh, it's Friday, where did this week go?" No, we're more likely to open our eyes and shout: "Yesssss, TGIF...Thank God it's Friday." More probable is our coming to the end of a lovely Sunday and exclaiming. "My goodness where did the weekend go? Man, it really zipped past."
Doesn't seem like we should be over halfway finished with 2009 does it? Has time accelerated? Are we moving at a more rapid pace than ever before?. Well, I guess it does depend on the perspective. Remember as a kid how it seemed like forever until Christmas would get here?
My cousins and I used to get my Aunt Alice to agree to take us to the local swimming pool. As soon as she said "yes" we would run in the house, get our bathing suits, roll them up in a towel and dash out to the car. "Shotgun, one of us would yell, claiming the passenger seat, in the front of the car, next to the window. The rest would squeeze into the back seat and there we would sit. We would sit and we would sit.
Aunt Alice never was one to move real fast, but to us kids, it seemed when we were waiting on her to take us swimming that time slowed down and she took forever.I'm sure in her perception she was moving fast enough and it looked like we wanted to move at warp speed.
So, how fast time is moving depends on our perspective because as we all know it moves the same...day in and day out. Same number of seconds, minutes, hours in a day, a week, a month, a year.,,all the time.
Still, it is a fact for all of us that we are so time-bound that in our fast-paced lives we just don't enjoy the ride often enough. We are project im-prisoned, agenda trapped, and progress determined. We've got to get this and that done. Tension builds. Stress levels elevate. Hypertension sets in. Whoa, slow down and smell the roses!
Wayne Cordeiro says: "We miss the sunrises and sunsets, too often our children grow up without us, and the beauty of this ride called life goes unnoticed...We get so distracted with little details, we forget to enjoy the ride." He goes on to add: "We begin our days with a jolt of morning coffee, motor from task to task and return home exhausted---only to get up and do it all over again. Don't miss the ride! Instead of driving though at a relentless pace, let's slow down. God has given us a beautiful world to live in, a world filled with His wonder, His people and Himself. It's all there, if we will only take the time to enjoy."
When I had an opportunity to visit the Crystal Cathedral in California, the church that Dr Robert Schuller started, as I sat there looking up through all that glass (the entire building is encased in glass) looking at the trees, the birds flying over, the skies and the sunshine, that magnificent choir began singing. "This is the Day. This is the Day the Lord has made. Let us be glad. Let us be glad and rejoice in it." This song is taken directly from Psalm 118:24.
I looked at the planters in the middle of the aisles with the green, neatly trimmed plants growing in them and all the flowers in the sanctuary and I thought, "Yes, this is the day the Creator has made. It is a gift I will stop and enjoy." Hey, and that was even before the sermon. But, the point is, it was an environment that encouraged you to enjoy the ride...or as the saying goes "to stop and smell the roses."
The NLT commentary on page 949 says, "There are days when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. Our mood is down, our situation is out of hand, and our sorrow or guilt is overwhelming. When you don't feel like rejoicing, tell God how you truly feel. You will find tht God will give you a reason to rejoice. God has given you this day to live and to serve him---be glad!"
For a few days in succession, here in Florida's Capital City, we have awaken to a pleasant surprise. Instead of walking out into a blast-furnace of heat in the morning it has actually been cool. Can you imagine that in July in North Florida? Temps in the 60's. When I experience that I automatically say, "Thank you Lord." It starts my day off right.
There is no reason that we can't start every day off in that manner, no matter what the weather is and I know weather can be a mood-affecter. But, having an attitude of gratefulness will do wonders for our attitude and will positively affect our day.
Cordeiro suggests some things, four in fact, that will help you enjoy the ride.
First, he suggests taking five minutes out of your day to write down the names of two people you appreciate. Then write them a note of thanks. Write as much detail as you can about how that person's actions have blessed you. Then, send it. Actually we email and text messaging you can get it to the other person instantly. One drawback to texting them is the word limitation, but it would still be a way of showing your appreciation if that worked best for you .
Second, is don't forget to laugh. There really is a lot to laugh about in life if we make a little effort to find it. He even recommends keeping a record of how many times you laugh today, for any reason. Cordeiro recommends that you try to laugh at least five times today.
Third, Do one thing for yourself today. Write it in your schedule and do it. You need it. You deserve it. Stop for an ice cream treat, take a walk, listen to some music, whatever. It's all good!
Finally, make a new friend today. It only takes a few minutes to stop and be interested in another person's life. I've found that Facebook is a good way to make friends or renew old acquaintances and get up to date. It shows people you are interested in their lives. That's a way, but face-to-face is even better when the opportunity arises at work, at church, out in the community, wherever.
So, there you have it. God is good and he has given us a wonderful life. So, please make sure you don't waste it. Enjoy the ride!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ride. Help us to enjoy it. Amen
***Author's note: Just observing the things around you will provide opportunities to enjoy the ride this week. Have fun!







The Whisper (July 29, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Lord passed by and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were turned loose.   But, the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.      1 Kings 19:11-12
"May the gods also kill me if by this time tomorrow I have failed to take your life like those whom you killed."   That was the message sent from Jezebel to the Prophet Elijah who had just defeated 450 of the prophets of Baal. What a sore loser. You can't win ‘em all.
Here's the story. There had been a drought going on for three years. Ahaz was king at the time and he can be characterized in one sentence. "He did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him." (1 Kings 16:32).
But, God had a plan to use the evil king Ahaz and his wife Jezebel, who was even more evil to fulfill it. The people had gone far astray and idol worship was running rampant. The idol Baal had become the god of choice for the Israelites who had drifted away from the one true God.
According to the Bible Dictionary Baal was "a god who symbolized the productive forces of nature...Archaeologists have discovered rock carvings of Baal holding a club in his right hand and a lightning flash with a spearhead in his left. These identify him as the god of rain and storm."
So the people thought Baal, who they felt was responsible for rain, which was essential to their agrarian economy could also withhold rain, thus he was responsible for the three years of drought they were suffering through.
God intended to use that situation to bring the people back to the realization that there was only one God they should be worshipping and he would defeat Baal or any other pretender to the throne to make that point.
So, he chose Elijah to go up against the 450 prophets of Baal. One man of God against 450 enemies. It's a familiar story of how Elijah soundly defeated all those false prophets, then had them eliminated. (1 Kings 18)
Well, the thing that made Jezebel so angry was that these prophets had prophesied great things for her future, telling her everything she wanted to hear. So, she vowed to kill Elijah.   This put him on the run. Despite his brave performance of outdoing these false prophets and honoring God, so the rains would come, he was now a fugitive...hiding out...fearing for his life.
Elijah told God: "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." (1 Kings 19:10)
While Elijah was on the run for forty days and forty nights he ended up spending the night in a cave on Mt. Sinai. Notice how many things take 40 days to unfold in the Bible. Is that some advice to us as to how long it might be before something we want to happen, actually happens in our lives?
On the mountain was where God chose to speak to Elijah. The prophet had to be wondering when God would do that. What was taking Him so long? Hadn't he been faithful, answered the call, and done what God wanted him to do? Had God forgotten about that?
God told him to go out and stand at the mouth of the cave. When he did a tremendous storm hit the mountain. Rocks began to loosen and fall. Maybe Elijah became fearful, thinking this was how he would die. But, he remembered that God told him to go there, so this must be how He would speak to him and reveal what was next for Elijah. But, God did not speak to him in the storm. His might and power were evident as those boulders went flying past, but no communication could be detected.
Then a big earthquake followed, but there was no sign of the Lord there as the earth trembled and shook. Elijah thought that in this mighty show of power there would be some sign of communication from God. But, there wasn't.
Then, a major fire broke out. Everything in front of Elijah was on fire, but still the voice of God was quiet. But, while Elijah was standing there, in awe of these powerful events in nature that he had witnessed and God still had his attention, there came a gentle whisper.
And in that whisper came Elijah's personal instructions from God. He was to go back the way he came and anoint a new king (Jehu) and also anoint and begin training his successor (Elisha).
Sometimes we get frustrated because we just can't seem to discern what God is trying to tell us. We may even feel neglected like He isn't trying to tell us anything. Maybe he has forgotten all about us.
He hasn't. Maybe we are so self-absorbed we are not hearing what he is saying. We think we deserve some big and dramatic communication from God because we are dealing with something real important. Well, God thinks it is important too. But, since His timing is always perfect and he knows stuff we don't know, he might have us on hold for 40 days. We might need to learn something different and or have some new experiences before He is ready to answer that prayer.
We have to stay alert. The answer might not come in some big event. It may come as a gentle whisper. All of the things before may be leading us to a point where we can be still and quiet and hear the whisper that will affect things to come.
Prayer: Lord, we want to be listening for your call. We realize that it might not come in a big, showy way, so help us to be still and know that the whisper we hear is coming from You.      Amen!
***Author's note: Think of some times in your week when God could speak to you in a whisper and you would hear it. And just what form would that whisper take?


No Superstars (July 22, 2009)- by Jim Crosby

My job was to plant the seed in your hearts and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. The ones who do the planting or the watering aren't important, But God is important because He is the one who makes the seed grow. Yet they will be rewarded individually according to their own work.      1 Corinthians 3:6-8
It was 1933 and the city of Chicago was celebrating "A Century of Progress" at a huge exposition, better known as the "World's Fair." On display were many products displaying the great technological advances that had been made in 100 years.
The Fair's scenic location was along and adjacent to the shore of Lake Michigan. A first-ever Sky Ride, which was a transporter bridge suspended 215 feet above the ground, was built so the people could ride from one side of the huge exposition to the other.
Cadillac introduced its V-16 limousine. Lincoln presented a rear-engine model. Pierce-Arrow showed off it's modernistic "Silver Arrow" to the theme of "Suddenly it is 1940."   Packard walked off with best car honors.
Star performers taking part in the included Judy Garland, the Andrews Sisters, and fan dancer Sally Rand. The World's Fair was originally scheduled to run from May through November of 1933. But, it was so popular that it was extended to a second season and also ran from May to October in 1934.
It was during the 1933 fair that the first Major League All Star game was played in Chicago at Comiskey Park. The lineups included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Al Simmons, Joe Cronin, and Frankie Frisch among others. Fittingly the first home run in All Star history was hit by Babe Ruth as he lead the American League to a 4-2 victory.
On July 14^th the Major League All Star baseball game was played in St. Louis where 23 first time All Star players gathered along with some of the perennial stars to play for the 76^th year of the Midsummer's Classic as it has come to be known. No doubt lots of flowery phrases and lofty adjectives were dusted off and used to describe the exploits of these players. All Stars? Yes! Superstars...well, consider this.
Many players make it to the All Star game only once in their lifetime. Do the names Mazzilli...Hammaker...Krukow...and Blalock ring a bell? They are just a few of those who were playing good enough to get picked once in their careers, but never made it back.
Here's the point. In baseball stardom must be subverted to the good of the team. Baseball teams must win games to make it to the World Series and become World Champions. Any player considered to be a star must play the game with that in mind. It is a team effort. Sure these great players are important, but the goals of the team are more important.
Today's scripture features a battle of so-called Superstars. Back in the Apostle Paul's day a lot of the Christians were caught up in the fervor of this new way of believing. Their immaturity showed when they tried to look to human beings as the Superstars of the Gospel Message.
This was especially true in Corinth. Paul had established the church on his second missionary journey. But, in his absence a lot of bickering and choosing up sides had taken place. They were rallying around different leaders and transferring allegiance that should have been devoted to Christ to these particular leaders who were bringing the Gospel message to them. Their zeal for the teachers was misplaced and was causing divisions within the church.
Apollos was apparently a glib, dynamic speaker who was winning many to the New Way. But, their allegiance was misguided. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul tells them how it is. "...when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn't handle anything stronger. And you still aren't ready for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other....When one of you say, ‘I am a follower of Paul,' and another says, ‘I prefer Apollos' aren't you acting like those who are not Christians."
Does any of that sound familiar and relevant today? Not that we say we are a follower of Billy Graham or Rick Warren or Max Lucado. But, look at how many churches have split apart over arguments or differences of opinion. These are Christian folks, who supposedly believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, yet can't get along with each other. It's as if these brothers and sisters are enemies...not people on the same side.
I recently read an article in "Christianity Today" entitled "Ministry Lessons from a Muslim." The article focused on Eboo Patel, a very unlikely Seminary Professor, I say "unlikely" because he is a Muslim teaching an class on Interfaith Leadership at McCormick Theological Seminary, a Christian school in Chicago. Here's what is so interesting. The article says: "While holding firmly to his belief in Islam, Patel also affirmed church leaders. He said, "I believe deeply that this type of evangelical Christianity is one of the most positive forces on Earth." Woo, hoo! How about that?
Patel essentially told his audience to "be more Christian." He believes people of different faiths can live together despite their differences. The article says that the hardest thing about having a meaningful interfaith dialogue is Christians who are afraid to talk about Jesus. Patel says: "Embracing your identity as a Christian creates safety for me to be a Muslim." That way we are doing what we are called to do.
Somehow I think this is what Paul was saying. There is only one Superstar. That is God. The rest of us are mere players on the team who are called upon to plant the seed in the hearts of others. When we do that the real Superstar will do the watering and harvesting that results.
Prayer: Lord we praise you and recognize that you have a role for us to play on your team. Guide us in our attempts to be all stars working and playing under Jesus Christ, the Superstar. Amen!

***author's note: Play the game with the true Superstar in mind this week and reap the benefits of being an all star performer.

To Tell the Truth (July 15, 2009) by Jim Crosby

This truth gives them the confidence of eternal life, which God promised them before the world began---and he cannot lie.       Titus 1:2
"My name is Elmer Fudd."   "My name is Elmer Fudd." "My name is Elmer Fudd."
Three people standing in front of the television camera claim to be Elmer Fudd. Which one is telling the truth?
In 1956 the first edition of the network television show "To Tell the Truth" aired on CBS. The program would go on to run, either on the networks or in syndication, for 25 years. That tops the popular "What's My Line" (24 years) and "I've Got a Secret" (20 years) according to Wikipedia.
So, after the three Elmer-Fudd-Claim-to-Be's made their opening declaration, the Host would read an affidavit stating some true facts about Elmer's life. Then the three contestants would take their seats to be questioned by the four panelists. At the show's end each panelist would vote on who was "telling the truth" and was the real Elmer Fudd.
The contestants would receive $100 for each wrong vote and $500 if they stumped the whole panel. How well do you know "To Tell the Truth?"
            Question #1: Who was the first host of To Tell the Truth? Was it:
            a. Gary Moore   b. Bud Collyer c. Alex Trebek d. Joe Garagiola
            (make your pick...the answer is coming up later)
I thought about that show this week because several things I read dealt with the importance of the truth. Have you ever talked with someone who, several times in the course of their conversation would end a sentence with "I'm not lying?" How did you feel about that? Did you wonder why they thought it was necessary to tell you they weren't lying, as if you had a reason to doubt what they were telling you. Did you, in fact, have a fleeting thought, that well, maybe this guy is lying to me? Nah...people wouldn't do that would they?
Maybe people would but God wouldn't. When God makes a promise or reveals something to you that is His work you can take it to the bank. It's the uh...Gospel Truth.
            Answer to Question #1: Bud Collyer was the first host in 1956 and stayed on     the show for 12 years. He was succeeded by Gary Moore who hosted from          (1969-77)
            Now for Question #2: Which person was a not a regular panelist in 1956, but   became a panelist in 1957 for the next 11 years?
            a. Tom Poston   b. Orson Bean   c. Kitty Carlisle d. Bennett Cerf
  In our scripture today Paul is writing to Titus, who had traveled with him for awhile, and who he had left on the Island of Crete to minister to the churches there. According to the NLT Bible the people of Crete could have easily qualified for a contestant role on "To Tell the Truth." They would have fit the role of the two who were not telling the truth about who they were. NLT puts it this way: "Apparently lying was commonplace in Crete." So, it looks like Titus had his work cut out for him.
Paul told Titus to point out how important it was for them to tell the truth because God does not lie therefore he doesn't expect his people to lie. As Paul pointed out the "foundation of our faith is trust in God's character." People who lie to others are not trustworthy. As Christians we are trying to mold our own character to emulate Jesus. NLT commentary goes on to say: "Because God is truth He is the source of all truth and He cannot lie. Believing in Him leads to a God-honoring life-style."
There is an interesting conversation in the mega-bestselling book "The Shack" on pg 187 between Mack and Papa (God) who tells him..."Life hurt you. Lies are one of the easiest places for survivors to run. Gives you a sense of safety where you only have to depend on yourself.   But, it is a dark place isn't it?"
Mack agrees, then Papa elaborates: "Lies are a little fortress; inside them you can feel safe and powerful. Through your little fortress of lies you try to run your life and manipulate others. But the fortress needs walls so you build some. These are the justifications for your lies. You know, like you are doing this to protect someone you love, to keep them from feeling pain. Whatever works, just so you feel okay about the lies."
Does that hit the nail squarely on the head or not. Who among us has not concocted a lie to cover up something, or to gain some time, or to make us look or feel better? If you said: "not me." Well, you are probably ...uh, are not telling the truth.
I hesitate to say that "telling a little white lie" is a natural thing to do. But, you know what? It seems like that is the easiest and best thing to do at times. Still, there is great relief in being truthful even in the most difficult situation. The truth is not going to change because it is, well, the truth. Lies or concocted stories can change depending on how good the memory of the one telling them are. Sooner or later they have a way of tripping up a person.
But, we never have that problem with God. He does not lie. When something comes to us from above we don't have to worry about it's being genuine and dependable. It's the truth. God is the one telling the truth about who he is. He doesn't change. Therein lies great comfort. It also provides an example for us. Taking on the character of God means "to tell the truth."
            Answer to Question# 2 on To Tell The Truth: c. Kitty Carlisle
So, Mack thought that "it felt safer to continue to throw new lies on the growing pile of old ones." He found out differently. There is a lesson in there for all of us!
By the way, none of those game show contestants in our first paragraph could have been Elmer Fudd because he is a cartoon character, not a real person. So all of them were not telling the truth.
Prayer: Lord thank you for this lesson on the importance of telling the truth and not remaining hidden in lies. Help us in this struggle because we know the truth will set us free. Amen!
***author's note: That's a start for us. When the temptation comes to stretch the truth into something it isn't hopefully we will all remember this lesson.

Get the Drift (July 7, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home. For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the Lord. But, those who miss me have injured themselves.     Proverbs 8:34-35
With the extremely hot weather we have been experiencing the beach is a good place to spend some time. If you must endure 7 days of 100+ temperatures and a heat index reaching 111, then you might as well be near or in the water.
I'm sure you've all experienced this. You go to the beach and put your big towel, books, radio, drinks, snacks and beach chair down, grab your rubber raft and run to the water. It's a calm ,but hot day and the water is clear and hopefully a little cool.
You lie down on your back on the raft, (after a generous portion of sun tan lotion---SPF 30 in my case---has been applied to your skin) then adjust your sunglasses close your eyes and just float.
As the Eagles sang: "It's a Peaceful Easy Feeling." After awhile, the saltiness accumulating on your lips makes you think about that cold bottle of water in your beach bag and you hop off the raft in the waist high water. You look to the shore to spot your belongings and they are nowhere in sight. What's up with that? Has someone surreptitiously come along and asbsconded with them. Who'd want that old faded beach towel you've had since 1998 or the second book in the Harry Potter series which has already topped out at seven?
Then, you remember the Law of Sand and Surf. The beach ain't going anywhere but, you and the water are. While you've been floating lazily on top of the water the waves have been moving you down the beach. You've drifted and now you have a nice little walk in the sand, carrying your raft, to get back to where your stuff is.
That can be the story of our lives away from the beach if we aren't mindful of what's happening. We can drift. If the forces that move us along the beach of life aren't monitored we can certainly end up way off course, far away from where we want to be and have to get off the raft in the waters of daily life and head back to the starting point.
We can get the drift in another way, however. Often when deciding whether to buy and get involved in a book we may read the first paragraph or page, skim through the book, read the endorsements, etc. to decide if it is worth the time. We want to get the drift of this book before we put in time reading it and eventually discover it was not worth it.
So, there are different ways to "get the drift." Some good. Some, not so good.
I like a statement I read on Facebook by our pastor Betsy Ouellette, who said: "I'm just trusting God one minute at a time." Sounds like a great way to check and correct the drift.
On day 14 in my new adventure of SOAP Journaling (I'm past 40 days now) I discovered today's scripture and labeled that reading "Daily Living-Get the Drift"
Quick review about SOAP. First find a scripture, the one the Lord is directing you to read that day. Write it down word for word in your Journal. Then (O) observe what it is saying to you and how it is relevant in 2009. Then (A) try to figure out how you can apply that scripture to your life, today. Finally (P) pray about it asking God to help you make it a part of your life today. It's a great way to get the drift or stop the drifting if necessary.
But more about Proverbs 8: 34-35. The person speaking in this case is Wisdom. In Proverbs wisdom is presented not just as an idea, but as a person. For some reason wisdom is portrayed as a woman. Wonder what that's telling us, men?
In the intriguing book "The Shack" the main character Mack meets Wisdom and is totally awed by her. As he observes her astounding beauty he thinks to himself; "I'm Mickey Mouse about to speak to Pavarotti." Of course, he doesn't know that she is Wisdom at that moment, but he learns this in the course of their conversation.
After receiving some amazing revelations about himself from her he has a conversation with Jesus who asks how he liked Sophia. Mack replies "So that's who she is!" Then a little perplexed he asks "But, doesn't that make four of you? Is she God too?"
"Jesus laughed. ‘No Mack. There are only three of us. Sophia is a personification of Papa's (God's) wisdom."
            "Oh like in Proverbs, where wisdom is pictured as a woman calling out in the                 streets, trying to find anyone who'll listen to her," said Mack.
To me this speaks of the awesomeness of God. A God who can transform a concept into a person in order to help us gain a deeper understanding of it. Wisdom can be right there with us. With wisdom leading and the Holy Spirit guiding we really can get the drift and understand what we should do.
Pastor Betsy's comment about being available to be led minute-by-minute by God ensures that we won't be ahead or behind the place where He wants us to be. So Wisdom tells us in Proverbs 8:34 "to wait by the gate" for Wisdom. Like the commercial says: "Don't leave home without it."
And in Proverbs 3:13-14 says: Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies, nothing you desire can compare with her."
Not only that She can help you Get the Drift and make sure you are drifting in the right direction!
Prayer: We pray for the wisdom that will stop the drift and help us get the drift as well. Only God can supply that. Amen!
***author's note-I'm writing this two days before The Lovely Susette and I headed for the beach, so it was good to know about drifting. Hope your drift-free day is a good one but you "get the drift" of what God has in store for you.



Boaz or Bozo?-June 24, 2009 (by Jim Crosby)

    Boaz gave orders to his men. "Even if she (Ruth) gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pickup and don't rebuke her"                       Ruth 2:15-16
One of the standard questions I like to ask athletes when I interview them for a magazine article is "Besides Jesus, who is your favorite person in the Bible?" That question has produced a variety of answers although David may be the one most of them choose.
A few years ago I asked Andre Wadsworth that question when I was writing an article for Sports Spectrum magazine. Andre was an All American defensive lineman at Florida State University who later played with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. He came up with an answer no one else had given. He chose Boaz.
When I asked him why, he said he had recently heard a talk by team chaplain Clint Purvis about Boaz and how he treated the women in his life. At the end Purvis asked the assembled players collectively: "Will you be a Boaz or a Bozo?" This was at a time when there were news stories out there about men, especially athletes, being arrested for violence against mates or significant others.
That talk made an impression on Wadsworth and he said: "I want to be a Boaz to a wife one day. If I ever get a wife I would like to be that kind of a figure to her."
So, who is this Boaz guy anyway? What's the deal? Well, you'll find the story of Boaz in the Old Testament book of Ruth. Short little book. Just four chapters sandwiched between Judges and Samuel. It contains a beautiful story. A love story, but beyond that it is a story of loyalty and overcoming odds stacked against you. And it has one of the most memorable and striking quotes of any OT book. Remember this one?
            "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and      your God my God.   Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything,  but death separates you and me."
            Wow! Is that something?
Well, it is not what Boaz said to Ruth. It's what Ruth said to her Mother-in-law, Naomi. Here's what happened. Naomi and her husband Elimelech moved from Bethlehem to Moab. There their two sons Mahlon and Kilion married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah.
But, the three men died leaving the women to fend for themselves during a time of famine. Naomi decided to go back home to the land of Judah where she thought she'd have a better chance of finding food. She told her two daughters-in-law that they were released from any obligation to her and they should stay in their home country where they would have a better chance of finding another husband. Orpah took her up on it, but Ruth, who loved her mother-in-law deeply, refused to let Naomi go it alone. That's when she made the beautiful statement we just read. (Ruth 1:16,17)
Now, here's where Boaz enters the picture. Back in the day, the poor people were allowed to go out and "glean the harvest."   That means that they could go along behind the reapers and gather up the poor grain that had been missed and take it home to make a meal out of it. The Quest Study Bible says it was "established in the Law of Moses as a sort of welfare system." But, what was left for them was usually of poor quality and not much of it at that.
So Ruth went out to pick up the leftover grain and found herself in the field of Boaz. When Boaz arrived at the field he saw Ruth and asked his foreman who she was. He was told that she was the "Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."
Now, suffice it to say that "ugly" or "homely" or "unattractive" would probably not be terms used to describe Ruth. Boaz was immediately stricken. So he immediately gave orders to the men as to how she should be treated.
He told them not to embarrass or abuse her in any way. Further, he instructed them to pull out some of the good stalks from the bundles and leave them in Ruth's path so she would come upon them.
Now Naomi owned a piece of land which she was forced to sell. First rights to buy it went to the "kinsman redeemer." That would a relative of Elimelech. He was willing to "redeem" the land until he found out the widow would have to be taken care of as well. When, Elimelech died the land had passed to his son, Ruth's husband, who then died. So it reverted back to Naomi.
When the "kinsman redeemer" heard this he backed out. Said it might endanger his own estate. So, he passed the opportunity on to Boaz, which is just what he wanted. There is more to the story which I encourage you to read in Ruth.
But, here's the neat part. Boaz and Ruth married and she gave birth to a son. They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David and as the Bible tells us Jesus was born in the family line of David.
So, Boaz treated the poor girl Ruth kindly. He could have lorded it over her and taken advantage of her. He didn't. He fell in love with her and treated her with respect and kindness. Consequently, he became a part of the family line of the Savior of the World.
You never know where an act of kindness will take you. Will you be a Boaz or a Bozo? Oh yeah, about Andre Wadsworth! That Boaz approach works. He now has a beautiful wife and three adorable children.
Monday Prayer: Lord, thank you for the example of Boaz and the rewards that come to hearts filled with kindness and love. Amen!
***author's note: Boaz or Bozo. It's a simple choice. It's all about love, respect and kindness. Let those be a part of your life this week and reap the benefits.



Don’t Disengage Your Brain (June 17, 2009) by Jim Crosby

And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.       Philippians 1:6
When today is over how will you be different from when it started? Good question to consider, especially in a devotion entitled: "Don't Disengage Your Brain." That's probably something we do more than we realize. We are busy doing familiar things, ones we've done so often we can do them by rote. Don't really have to think about them. We can disengage our brain and still get them done.
I think it is sometimes that way in church especially if the pastor happens to be preaching on a very familiar scripture, one you have heard many sermons preached on before. So we really don't stop to think about how that scripture speaks to us. How is it applicable to our lives?
When we woke up this morning we received a gift. God gave us a fresh 24 hours to use however we see fit. We can work hard or be lazy. We can be productive or not. We can learn something new or put our minds in neutral and coast along.
God has a message specifically for you each day. You'll find it in His word or in nature or in activities or a variety of ways. Whichever way God chooses to communicate with you will be beneficial if you receive the message, but if your mind is disengaged and you are coasting along you might miss it.
If you had started your day by reading this, "And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work, until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." and you didn't disengage your mind just to get through the obligatory daily Bible reading, then you have the potential for a great day.
Here's what the NLT commentary (pg. 1887) says: "Do you sometimes feel as though you aren't making progress in your spiritual life? When God starts a project, he completes it! As with the Philippians, God will help you grow in grace until he has completed his work in your life. When you are discouraged, remember that God won't give up on you. He promises to finish the work He has begun. When you feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God's promise and provision. Don't let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to him."
Knowing how many unfinished projects I have laying around that is comforting that God is not like that. He finishes his projects. Well, of course I intend to finish mine too...uh, when I get around to it. But, I can't say I have a specific plan for finishing each one of these. Maybe I should, but I don't. Realistically the ones that I take through to completion will be the ones that I just decide to make a specific plan for finishing it and stick to the plan.
Thankfully, it's not that way with God. He has a plan for us and he will complete that plan. That's why it is important to try to get in tune with that plan and not disengage our minds while doing so.
In the mega-bestselling book "The Shack" Jesus is talking with Mack, the main character who is trying to work his way out of what he calls "The Great Sadness." (you have to read the book to find out what that is). Mack asks, "So what do I do now?"
Jesus answers "What you're already doing, Mack, learning to live loved. It's not an easy concept for humans. You have a hard time sharing anything." He chuckled and continued. "So yes what we (the Trinity) desire is for you to return to us, and then we come and make our home inside you and then we share. The friendship is real, not merely imagined. We're meant to experience this life, you life, together, in a dialogue, sharing the journey. You get to share in our wisdom and learn to love with our love and we get...to hear you grumble and gripe and complain and..."
Mack laughed out loud and pushed Jesus sideways.
What a great deal for God, huh? He gets all our grumbling and complaining and we get his love? But, I've included this little vignette because I think it says a lot about the kind of relationship we can have with God if we don't disengage our minds and just float along like always.
It says that He loves us and is looking for ways to share that love. He wants to extricate us from these problems and bring joy into our lives. But, sometimes that requires out-of-the-box thinking. We have to look for and think about ways in which God wants us to receive His love and what we are to do with it.
"Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ" it says in the NLT introduction to Philippians. The Lord wants us to be joyful. Awhile back I wrote a devotion called the "Great Spoilsport in the Sky" in which I wanted those who have not disengaged their minds to think about how much joy there is in doing things God's way. He ain't out to spoil our fun. He wants more of it for us and when we do things His way that's what happens.
The conversation between Mack and Jesus shows the kind of relationship He wants to have with us. He wants to talk things over with us. He wants us to reach us through His Word, to talk to him through Prayer, and to build a relationship with Him by getting to know His bride better....the Church.
When you determine not to disengage your mind and to see what's on God's mind you'll have the kind of day that you look back on before going to bed and smile with a sigh of contentment. Then that sense of peace that surpasses all understanding will descend upon you.
Monday Prayer: Lord, we want to develop a deeper relationship and a greater friendship with you. Help us to keep our minds engaged and focused on that purpose. Amen!
***author's note: Keep that mind engaged while seeking the Lord's way this week and get set to enjoy a stellar week.


Veneer or Solid Oak (June 10, 2009) by Jim Crosby

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they go right on producing delicious fruit.
Jeremiah 17: 7-8 (NLT)
Once again I'm going to borrow from Wayne Cordeiro's informative book "The Divine Mentor" to make a point in today's devotion. I'm sure Wayne won't mind because this is also an encouragement to you to read his book. There is a lot in there that is helpful in ordering your daily life.
Wayne said that when he and his wife Anna moved into their first home that he needed a desk. He had always dreamed of having a genuine oak rolltop desk. They went to a furniture store and immediately saw one. It was on sale, so he threw caution to the wind and bought it. After all this "stately piece of history" that would be inherited by children, then grandchildren would only increase in value since it was solid oak.
Then, one day he made a startling discovery. Only the rolls on the rolltop were genuine oak. The rest of the desk was pressboard. It was oak veneer covering the pressboard innards. Who would ever consider a pressboard desk as a family heirloom? To be considered authentic or genuine it had to be oak all the way to the core. Solid oak not veneer.
Veneer means to give a superficially attractive appearance to something. You cover up the imperfections or the lesser quality with something of more value to give the appearance that the whole thing has more worth than it really does. It is only attractive on the surface. That's where the true value is. The rest is fluff.
I bet you already know where I'm going with this, don't you? Yes, we do as Cordeiro says "live in a veneer world." A lot of things are not what they seem to be and we get fooled. We think they are one thing and they turn out to be something else.
Image often takes precedence over reality. We are ripe for the next, newest, style until another bigger, or faster, or more colorful one comes along. We are never completely satisfied when it comes to stuff
When it comes to our lives veneer is not enough. Sure we can manage to survive and even give the appearance of true happiness but the veneer won't last. Under it is pressboard. The success we enjoy today can lead to regret tomorrow if it's not genuine to the core.
The way around this dilemma is an age old solution. It's to simply trust in the Lord. Now, I say "simply"but it isn't always that simple because there is a lot of veneer out there. There are things parading around disguised as goodness which are the opposite.
In Jeremiah 17:5 the Lord says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives."
Then we read in our selected scripture...verses 7 and 8 about those who see through the veneer and only settle for solid oak. Their trust in the Lord has given them hope and confidence to the extent that they are like a tree planted by a river. Their roots go out into the water so it doesn't matter if there is a drought or not. They always have nourishing water to sustain them.
The NLT commentary says "in times of trouble, those who trust in human beings will be impoverished and spiritually weak, so they will have no strength to draw on. But, those who trust in the Lord will have abundant strength, not only for their own needs, but even for the needs of others."
It is easy to fall into bad habits. How soon we can forget and even forsake God. We're so busy doing things. That's why I'm happy I came across Cordeiro's book. As a writer of religious devotions and religious/sports books I'm going in and out of the Bible quite frequently. During my writing day I am constantly referring to scriptures, commentaries, other devotions, religious books, etc. In fact, I have been doing so much of that I forgot to study the Bible.
Say, what? Yes, I hadn't really been taking any quiet time to let God show me the way to a scripture each day and to figure out how that particular verse fit my life. Where could I apply the lesson I learned from it? Obviously God had something specifically to say to me and I was missing it.
I re-discovered what I had always known but sometimes forget. God will bless whatever time you give to him. You will not go away empty. By choosing a scripture, writing it in a journal, then writing and observation about it, i.e. what is this saying in contemporary terms? Then, thinking about and writing down how I could apply the principle in that scripture to my life that day. Finally, writing down the central thought of a prayer about that situation and asking the Lord to help me execute what I had just learned.
The first thing I discovered in doing this was that a great sense of peace came over me. This enabled me to think clearly about what God was telling me through His word. You know how you wake up and a thousand thoughts assail your mind. All the things you have to do that day. The ones you forgot to do yesterday, et. al. I found that the peace and quiet of this time spent in His word enabled me to do a better job of organizing my day and subsequently accomplishing the things that needed to get done.
In other words, the instruction I was receiving was genuine to the core. It was solid oak not veneer. Now, I can't wait each morning to see what scripture God will be using to start my day.
Prayer: Lord, help us to discern what is solid oak and what is veneer as devote ourselves to the kind of success that is genuine to the core. Amen!
***author's note: Makes sense not to settle for anything, but the best. I've always believed in going first class and by immersing ourselves in God's Word we learn how to do that.

The Big 10-June 3, 2009 by Jim Crosby

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them...     Matthew 5:1

John Riley came to town last week. Now, whenever he comes to Tallahassee or the surrounding area, the Lovely Susette and I make it a point to go hear him speak. He never fails to inspire and motivate us. Apparently, we're not the only ones that holds true for. John Riley has given more than 10,500 talks and has spoken in over 15 countries.
Riley claims he is just an old country boy from the small town of Abbeville, AL. But, he's more than that. He is a true man of God who has been used by the Lord for over 30 years as an evangelist ever since he injured his knee and lost his place-kicking job with the Oakland Raiders.
Well, this time was no exception. John brought with him "10 Powerful Phrases for Positive People." After hearing these I call them "The Big 10." And you thought this was going to be about a college athletic conference didn't you? So, since you weren't able to hear John's talk, I'd like to share these 10 Powerful and Positive Phrases with you. John did give a disclaimer up front. He admitted that he had borrowed these from Rich DeVos, the founder of Amway and his book by the same name.
To put his own spin on these phrases John started off by reading the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. They are also found in Luke 6:20-23. Early in his ministry Jesus went throughout Galillee preaching, teaching and healing. Once, when he saw a great crowd he decided to lay out some of his own Powerful Phrases for Positive People. They were called the Beatitudes. I hope you'll take some time to read and reflect on them.
Riley said, to lay out positive rules is to emulate Jesus. So, the first one of the Big 10 that Riley gave us was; "I was wrong." That's a hard one isn't it? And John admitted that it seems to be harder for men to say they are wrong than it is for women to do it. But, he said it is a very strong statement and really makes it mark when you apologize to someone by simply saying, "I was wrong."
When you get up enough nerve to do that then it becomes a little easier to say the second powerful phrase which is; "I'm sorry." In fact, you can back that one right up to the first one and say, "I was wrong. I'm sorry." That will have an impact. It shows that you are person who is concerned with the feelings of others and that you are not too big to admit a mistake. This is a tough twosome for some. Haven't you known people who tenaciously clung to a wrong opinion, argument or viewpoint no matter what happened? It takes character to simply say: "I was wrong. I'm sorry."
Phrase number three was "You can do it." Encouragement is one of the best gifts you can give another person. Simply let them know you have faith in them. Every time I feel a little down and uncertain about a matter, the Lovely Susette, without hesitation, tells me I can do it. She has confidence in me and that means the world to me.
She doesn't have to say anything more, but if she did it would be Riley's fourth phrase" "I believe in you." Coming from a person you respect and love that means a lot. My pastor once said those very words to me and it really stoked up my determination to excel in the task at hand. Simply saying, "I believe in you" is a great gift.
Number Five is "I'm Proud of You." John said that in high school his football coach once came to him near the end of the season and told him that he wanted him to play center because the first string center and his backup were both injured. Only problem was Riley had never played center and they were in a crucial stretch of the season. They needed to win the game that week to get in the playoffs. But, Riley said he would. Then he practiced hard and played so well he helped his team win that game, the playoffs and the state championship.
Later he was walking down the hall at school and his coach was coming from the opposite direction. The coach stopped and said. "Good job at center." But, then he added; "I didn't think you had it in you." How deflating was that? John said he has always remembered that statement and the disappointment he felt. How much better it would have been if the coach had said: I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it."
Number six is simply to say "Thank You." I say simply because it's easy to say, but nowadays it draws a response that is inappropriate and has almost become commonplace. I know it's a comeback that drives the Lovely Susette batty, and lots of folks agree that when you say "Thank You" the appropriate response is not: "No Problem," but should be "You're Welcome."
Phrase number seven is "I need you." That's often difficult to say. It is hard to admit that we can't just go on out there and do something by ourselves. Remember the song with the lyrics "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." Jesus knows we need help. That's why He is always available.
The eighth powerful phrase is "I trust you." That's a great one. How wonderful it is to have a friend that you can trust with your inner most secrets. One who is aware of your faults and weakness and still cares about you. It makes no difference what problems you have.
Number nine is "I respect you." This is very important. One of the worst feelings in the world, I think, is to be disrespected by another person. To be looked at as a person of no importance or not worth the time and trouble, is terrible.
Finally, John said that everyone had probably already figured out the 10^th Powerful Phrase for Positive people. Yes, it's "I Love You." Perhaps, nothing is more meaningful than to be told that you are loved. It pumps you up like nothing else can.
Thank You John Riley! Come back soon. We always leave feeling more determined to be better people after we hear you talk.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for these simple, yet powerful phrases that will make our lives richer and more rewarding if we incorporate them into our daily lives.    Amen!
Author's note: If John Riley is ever speaking in your area, even if you have to drive awhile to hear him, don't miss the opportunity. It's a one-of-a-kind experience. Maybe your church would like to contact him. His website is http://www.johnsriley.com/ .


Pay Scales and Playing Scales (May 27, 2009) by Jim Crosby

"Martha, Martha", the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things., but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."           Luke 10: 41-42

During World War I the Polish government approached Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the revered pianist and composer and asked him if he would be willing to play concerts in order to raise money to help out during the war. According to Wayne Cordeiro ("The Divine Mentor") Paderewski said, "I will be part of the war effort under one condition. You must allow me everyday to continue playing scales, three hours a day. Pay me for eight hours; but I will play scales for three."
Now, I'm certainly not a musical person...I enjoy music, just can't play or sing it very well. The only instrument I've been able to master is the Tonette. What's that you ask? Well, way back in 4^th grade we were issued this black, reedlike instrument and during music class we learned to play simple tunes. I advanced all the way up to "Row Your Boat."
Years later when I tried to learn how to play guitar I advanced all the way up to playing "Row Your Boat." But, one thing I did learn was that "playing musical scales" is the most basic of all the things you do in music. That's why I find it amazing that Paderewski, as advanced and accomplished a musician as he was, insisted on playing scales for three hours a day. Well, I'm sure he took scale playing to a little different level than I did on the Tonette.
There is a great point here. It's about mastering and sticking to the basics. Cardeiro points out that Jerry Rice, the all time NFL leader in pass receptions said during his playing days, "I may be able to run and receive passes, but I also do a thousand sit-ups every day."
So, why do great performers still spend time with simple, basic things? Paderewski said, "If I skip one day of scales when I play in concert I notice it. If I skip two days of scale, my coach will notice. And if I skip three days, the world will notice." Apparently by practicing these scales his fingers stayed more nimble and he could breeze through more difficult pieces with ease.
What are our basics? What are the scales we need to constantly stay sharp on so we can breeze through or at least make it through those difficult times? Our basics come from the Bible. That is why we need to set time aside every day to read it and think about how the things we read are applicable to our daily lives.
For ten days now I have been practicing the procedure that Cordeiro suggests in the formula he calls SOAP. For 30 to 40 minutes in the morning I have been going back to the basics. Opening up my Bible, finding a scripture to focus on. I read it and write it down in my journal. Then for "O" I observe what it is saying to me. What is really being said here? What's the message being directed my way. Next comes "A" I write down how I feel I could apply this to my life. Finally, "P" I pray about it.   It makes for a neat little devotional time. As you can imagine, being a writer of devotions, I find this a good way to learn and grow. To help find a scripture you could use a book of devotions, (I would mention one here, but I'm sure you already know about "Monday Morning Devotions"). :)
Here's what Cordeiro says about daily devotions. "When you miss your devotions one day, you notice. When you miss them two days your spouse and kids notice. And when you miss them three days, the world notice."
You see if we aren't depending on something beyond ourselves for instruction and direction we slip back into worldly solutions and those are not always good. Certainly, they are lacking in the depth we attain from scriptural solutions and prayer.
Jesus would slip away and go up into the mountains to pray and have quiet time. What better example could we have to point out the importance of uninterrupted and focused devotional time?
Cordeiro tells the story of a young man who wanted to make a living in construction. He was talented, but short on funds so he went to a discount store and bought some cheap tools. (Let me hasten to say that I'm not knocking seeking discounts and making wise, money-saving purchases). But, continuing with the story when the foreman inspected the man's work he found that it was all "slightly askew." They had to redo all his work.
Consequently, the foreman called the young man in and...well, fired him. When, he picked up his tools to leave the foreman said, "Wait a minute. Let me look at that tape measure." When he put it next to his own tape measure they discovered the problem. The cheap tape measure was off, so everything he measured was slightly askew. The young man had skimped on the basics and it cost him.
In last week's devotion we talked about how the YAH, that little red-circle on our Census computer which indicated "You Are Here" told us if we were going in the wrong direction. That's what the Bible does it keeps us going the right way. Spending daily time in the scriptures in like a GPS (Global Positioning System) that tells you where you are and shows you the right road to take. By consulting God's word it helps us stay on the right road and going in the right direction.
I'm sure you've gone in the wrong direction while driving, like I have. The problem is when you discover this and hopefully you find out quickly that you're going south when you should be going north, then you have to retrace your route. You have to waste time going back in the opposite direction, covering the same ground you just passed over, to get back to where you started, then go the right way. Colossal waste of time! Highly infuriating.
It's the same in the daily actions we take. If our scripture reading and prayer get us headed in the right direction we don't have to back track and waste time. We are more productive so by following the basics; i.e. playing the scale our pay scale will also be improved.
Monday Prayer: Lord, you've made it simple for us. Just stick to the basics. Play those scales first and we are warmed up for the task ahead. Keep us immersed in the word and we will look for great things to happen. Amen!
***author's note:   A simple idea, but so important. Staying in touch with the basics of the Bible get us headed in the right direction so we don't have to back track.

The YAH (May 20, 2009) by Jim Crosby

At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26 b
For the last couple of months the Lovely Susette and I have been following the YAH. You probably already have formed a mental picture of us sitting in a dark, incense-filled room chanting...uh... what do you chant when you chant stuff anyway? Well, that's not what we were doing.
No, the YAH that has directed us along some unique paths and really just took over our lives for awhile was a little red circle with a small...I guess you'd call it an arrow or a pointer as a part of it.
One of the first things we did every morning was to unplug our HHC, which had been charging overnight, turn it on and rub a finger across it so our fingerprint would be recognized and we could proceed to find out where the YAH would lead us that day.
All right, enough already, you are saying. What the heck are you talking about? Okay, it's government talk, well, in a way it is. TLS and I have been working with the United States Census Bureau, helping get things ready for the 2010 Census.
As most of you know the Constitution declares that we must take a Census every 10 years. It's the way we find out how many people actually live in America. It is also one of the ways that the Government determines how much Federal funding goes to each state based on the population. Businesses use census information in their developmental strategies. I'm sure there are many other reasons to take a census, but since I was just a temporary guy out there chasing the YAH, I'm not sure what those are.
So, here's the deal. In the first stages of the Census you have to find out where people live whether it is in a house, mobile home, boat, retirement home, prison, wherever. So , the enumerators (that's us) are issued an HHC (handheld computer) and given AA's (assignment areas) to verify addresses. These verifications have to be accurate so the census forms can be mailed to the people. OK, so some get their mail at the post office, some live in one state and get mail in another and there are probably as many variations of that as there are grains of sand in my hair, sneakers, and lounge chair when I come home from the beach. But, to keep it simple enough to fit into this one devotion let's just say we were out there with a hand held computer finding out where people live.
Now here's where the YAH comes in. Once you pull up your AA on your computer and zoom out to see how far it is from where you actually are then you start driving and the YAH starts moving on your computer in that direction, provided you are going the right way. Those of you who have more modern cars than we do are probably saying that sounds like your GPS (Global Positioning Satellite). A GPS is a constellation of 27 orbiting satellites that will tell you exactly where you are on earth at the moment. Thank you very much...Google!
Now here's the deal. YAH stands for You-Are-Here! Cute, huh! So if that little red circle ain't in your AA you are in the wrong place and should not be verifying the addresses there. If you are in the AA and aren't heading in the direction that little pointy thing is aiming at you'll find the YAH going one way and you are going the other. In that situation guess who's going the wrong way, you or the YAH. Yep, you guessed it. So, the YAH pretty much guides your life during your work hours.
I'll have to admit the first time I saw YAH I thought they had left off part of the word. All these years of Bible study have conditioned me to think about the whole word YAHWEH which is one of the names for God. So, just as the YAH directs the life of a census worker, YAHWEH directs the life of the believer. Pretty cool, right.
There are a lot of different names for God in the Bible, but YAHWEH is one of the most important. In fact, in ancient times the name was considered so sacred that the followers wouldn't even say it. So they wrote it as YHWH, which of course, without any vowels is unpronounceable.
YAHWEH actually comes from the verb for "to be" thus as Nelson's Bible Dictionary says it means simply, but profoundly. "He is!" Remember in Exodus 3:14 when Moses wanted to know who he should tell the Israelites sent him to deliver them from slavery. God said: "I am who I am." That meant He was the head honcho.
Telling them that "I am" sent him would cause the Israelites "to think of God's absolute supremacy and their unique relationship to Him." (QSB pg 79). That was the only authority they needed. They had their YAH and they needed to follow his directions.
Interestingly, I first looked when I up YAHWEH I actually came across the word YAH. The dictionary said that YAH was an abbreviation of the word Jehovah which is a name for God used more frequently in the Bible. Of course there are a lot of other names for God that stem from YAHWEH than just Jehovah. There is Jehovah-Jireh, which translated means "The Lord Will Provide." Also, Jehovah-nissi (The Lord is my Banner); Jehovah-shalom (The Lord is Peace); Jehovah-shammah (The Lord is There) and there are more.
So, the Israelites depended on YAHWEH to be their YAH. Whenever they were following His directions they knew that they were in the right place. If they moved out in a direction on their own or took actions unpleasing to Him the YAH was not going the same way they were.
This is still true today. If we go in a different direction from our YAH (WEH) we'll get off track, become lost and won't like the end result.
Monday Prayer: YAHWEH we ask that you continue to be the YAH who leads us in the right direction and that we are wise enough to follow. Amen!
***Author's note: Look for your YAH so you know where you are, then look to YAHWEH for the way to go.

Does God Ever Refuse to Hear Prayer? (May 13, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Therefore this is what the Lord says, "I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape...Do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.              Jeremiah 11:11, 14
Is there a time when God simply refuses to hear our prayers?. If we have been very lax in our prayer life and all of a sudden we have a major problem does He say: "Sure, now you come running to me. What about all those other days when I wanted to have a conversation with you, but you were too busy? How about the time I had a job for you to do and you just weren't available? Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not a God of convenience to be called on only in time of trouble."
Maybe there are times when even you are bored with your prayers. Maybe it's the same old, same old...delivered without much interest. You think, "Gosh, if this is boring to me, wonder what God thinks about it!" Cheer up. The Quest Study refers to the above scripture in Jeremiah by saying, "God sees, hears and knows everything----including our prayers. Nothing escapes his attention."
So, why did God tell Jeremiah, "Forget it. Don't pray for them." Well, this was a special case and judgment was unavoidable. So it was useless for the prophet to pray for them. This had been a long, on-going situation in which Judah had disobeyed God's laws continually and ignored his pleas not to turn to idol worship and refuse to heed his instructions.
But, the commentary does point out that there are ways that we can sabotage our own prayers.    One of the ways is through sin. Sin is basically anything that separates us from God. If it something puts a wall between us and God it is sin and will certainly not be a thing we could pray about. If it is wrong, hurtful, misguided then this sin will sabotage our prayers because you can't be sinning and praying simultaneously. We pray in order to be close to God, to be in His presence, to be heard and granted wisdom. So when we are thinking bad thoughts how can we expect a Holy God to be listening intently and favorably to our plea?
I'm not saying He is not listening because as the QSB said, He sees and hears everything. But, if a prayer is being offered up with a sinful attitude, how can we expect God's favor on that prayer.
Sometimes we have doubts that we need dispelled and that's okay. God can handle that. He can help you get over these especially if you just look around and count your blessings...just pause to see all the things you have been favored with.
Another way to sabotage your prayers is through disobedience. We all know when we are doing something wrong. If we go ahead and do it anyway, I'm sure that puts a different slant on the way God views those particular prayers. Does God hold these things against us and keep bringing them up everytime we pray. No, I refer you to one of my favorite passages of scripture Micah 7:18. "Who is a God like you who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."
One pastor said that when God throws those sins into the deepest part of the ocean he puts up a no fishing sign. Those sins will not be brought to the surface again. They are forgiven and forgotten. But, these are sins we have repented of and asked His forgiveness for. So, sin and disobedience, which is in itself a sin, can damage the effectiveness of our prayer.
Prayers can also be sabotaged through hypocrisy and insincerity. In Malachi,      1: 7-9 God calls out the people for, uh...playing dumb. They bring less than their best to him. They were bringing animals to sacrifice that were blind or crippled or in someway defective and keeping the best for themselves. Then they expected God's blessing on their offering. I wonder if we give back to him, grudgingly and as an afterthought, dollars he has put us in a position to earn is that really worthy of praying for God's blessing? Or is it hypocritical and insincere?
Praying with the wrong motives can deflect God's favor. In Matthew and Luke we find examples of hypocritical praying. Those who pray, loud and in public like the Pharisees who did so, not to honor God, but to direct attention to themselves.
Sometimes our faith is just not strong enough when we pray. James says, (1:6), "But when he asks he must believe not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
Even marital difficulties can sabotage prayer. If we are unkind, or inconsiderate and do not function in a loving manner with our spouse. James says to "be considerate as you live with you wives (husbands) and treat them with respect as heirs with you in the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." That's pretty clear.
So, there is really never a time when God doesn't hear your prayers. As I told a congregation in a recent talk I gave, "prayer, at anytime, any place, any length, written, ad lib, delivered after great forethought or spontaneously, quickie prayers, prayers offered up while in your car (but keep your eyes open if you're driving)...all prayers are heard and honored by God." So, the least of our worries is whether God is listening or not. He is!
It is just up to us not to sabotage our own prayers by having the wrong attitude, or doing the wrong thing, or lacking faith. In those instances it would be hard for even a loving God to find favor in our prayer.
Considering prayer from God's viewpoint is a good starting place. When we do that we will not pray amiss, but our sincere and honest prayers will find favor with the Heavenly Father.
Monday Prayer: Lord, thank you for the assurance that you hear all our prayers. It is our desire that our prayers are pleasing to you and will find favor in your sight. Amen!
***Author's note: Think about your prayer life this week and determine to be on God's wave length. You'll have a great week!

Encouragement (May 6, 2009) by Jim Crosby

This is what the Lord Almighty says: Consider how things are going for you! You have planted much but harvested little... Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!...I am with you, says the Lord So, the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of...the whole remnant of God's people.                  Haggai 1:6,13
"Encouragement is God's native tongue." How about them apples? Well, you say, "If God is so great at encouraging people why do I feel so discouraged?" Maybe you have periods of time in which you feel heartened, but then something happens and you lapse back into despondency.
The inspiration for today's devotion comes from a book recommended by Pastor Erick Ashley, Good Samaritan UMC, Tallahassee. He told our congregation about "The Divine Mentor" by Wayne Cordeiro, senior Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii.. Of course, all you have to do is mention just about any book that sounds intriguing to me and I'm there. I'll track it down and get a copy.   And in following the Pastor's advice I got Cordeiro's book and the accompanying Life Journal.
OK, it's true confession time. Maybe this will help you too. Even though I write a lot of stuff, almost daily, in which I draw on scriptures and I'm always alert for ideas that I can incorporate into a devotion or a book that I am writing, I have recently felt something is missing in my daily relationship with God. It wasn't that He wasn't speaking to me each time I looked for scriptures to support a devotional idea. God was always faithful to provide just the right Bible lesson although sometimes he made me dig harder to find it.
But, I really didn't feel I was experiencing the personal growth that would enable me to live the way I thought He wanted me to. That is important because only when we are in touch with Him daily concerning our personal life can we do that. It is easy to become stagnated or disoriented and lose our way. Only when He's directing the paths we head down can we experience success and gain peace of mind.
So, I opened up Cordeiro's book and read the "native tongue" quote about encouragement. The author followed that up by saying, "But, encouragement without change is like a bicycle with only one pedal. Our participation is required. Encouragement turns into hope when His instructions find our ready acceptance and application."
If we want to be encouraged and shake off depression or a feeling of hopelessness we have to do our part. So, I went searching the scriptures for examples of God's encouragement. There are many. But, one that might not come to you immediately is found in the Old Testament book of Haggai. When's the last time you opened your Bible to Haggai and read a little? If you are like me you can't remember a time you did that. Even if you have it probably was because a sermon was being preached on a Sunday morning and the pastor instructed everyone to open to Haggai. Although I can't remember any sermons I've heard on that book either.
One idea I immediately encountered in the NLT version of Haggai was in the area called "Mega-themes" with a sub-heading of "right priorities." Here's what it says: "God had given the Jews the assignment to finish (building) the Temple in Jerusalem when they returned from capitivity. After 15 years, they still had not completed it. They were more concerned about building their own homes than finishing God's work. Haggai told them to get their priorities straight."
Think about that! Do you have some unfinished business on your plate? Maybe it was something you felt good about when you started, but somewhere along the way you lost your enthusiasm for it. You got side-tracked...too busy with other things. Perhaps, you still feel it's a good thing to do. In the beginning, you even prayed about it and thought it really was God-directed.
Well, who lost interest? Was it you or God? If it was truly an assignment or a project from Him, rest assured He wouldn't abandon it. Sure, it might not be easy, but most good things we achieve or receive require effort. A certain amount of stick-to-it-edness must be come into play. An old Georgia-term I used to hear growing up was to have "gumption." I'm not even sure that's a real word, but if it is you could substitute backbone, determination, toughness or similar words for it. If you have gumption you stay the course. You are Noah building an ark or a Paul in prison or a Joseph sold into slavery, even a Daniel in the lion's den. You refuse to be defeated.
So, Haggai tells them, "Sure you were all "hot-to-trot" and threw yourself into rebuilding the temple when God rescued you from slavery "Thank you very much, Lord?" Now, look at you 15 years later you are still piddling around. What's up with that?
You know, that hit me right between the eyes. I've got writing projects sitting around. When, I started these, after a good deal of prayer, I was enthusiastic. Then, as the reality of working on them every day proved to be hard work my eagerness to approach the task waned, diminished and petered-out. They are still sitting where I left them. Some fresh idea, I was excited about, replaced them. I jumped into this new adventure and soon the degree of difficulty made me put it down and head off on another one.
I'm thinking you can identify with that. Don't you feel bad about some things that you haven't completed and just can't get around to finishing? Some day you will, right? When? I think I can tell you when you and I will get back to finishing un-finished business. We will when we get our priorities straight.
"So the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai. Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?"    That's the key. God's blessings will come...projects will get finished...we'll understand the message He is sending...when we put Him first.
I encourage you to find the encouragement you need from digging into God's Word and asking him for the specific message He has there for you. You'll discover it when you do this. Amen!
Monday Prayer: Lord, it is so easy for our priorities to get out of whack. Please keep us on track, so we will seek Your will first and gain the encouragement that enables us to do great things.
Author's note: I hope you receive the inspiration from this devotion to know that your list of unfinished business is not so intimidating when you rely on the Lord for encouragement.

A Season of New Hope (April 29, 2009) by Jim Crosby

For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you HOPE and a future.                             Jeremiah 29:11
On April 23, 2009 a most unusual event occurred in these dire times. On that Thursday evening over one million people in more than 6,000 locations watched a live video streaming event, from Oklahoma City, featuring Dave Ramsey called "Town Hall for Hope"
The unusual thing about this was the positive, refuse-to-give-in-to-fear approach Ramsey has espoused during the current recession and hard times facing America. Ramsey, a radio host and financial genius who has helped millions of people defeat debt and get back on their feet during these hard times, is all about not letting fear bring you down.
Dave says that FEAR stands for False, Evidence, Appearing, Real. Frequently Ramsey refers to Bible scriptures to make his point and in addressing the fear factor he said, "fear is not a fruit of the spirit." He added, "fear is the enemy of hope."
There is so much negativity in the news these days that Ramsey is kind of like a voice in the wilderness preaching hope and encouragement instead of gloom and doom. While the current recession is being blamed for a lot of ills Ramsey encourages people to simply say, "I'm not participating in the recession." He urges people to do three things.
First, Dave wants people to "get up and take action." Second, he says, "stop listening to loser talk." The third thing he proposed as a cure for the current conditions is to start giving.
Point one about taking action refers to not settling for being a victim. He says to choose activity, rather than giving up and just letting things happen to you. Dave wants people to take control of their personal money and follow the steps he outlines in his books and Financial Peace University course. These have helped thousands get out of debt, establish a plan and gain their financial footing.
Ramsey says to get informed about what's happening in the economy and hold your representatives in Congress accountable. Write letters...emails...text messages however you choose to make your views known.
His second point, about avoiding loser talk, is to inject positive messages and ideas filled with hope in the conversations you become involved in about the economy. Refuse to get involved in all the whiny, negative, poor-little-old me talk.
The final point about giving is something that Ramsey believes is very important. He says, "when you give you take your eyes off of yourself."
One of the major prophets in the Old Testament who faced a somewhat similar situation to Dave Ramsey's was Jeremiah. For 40 years he served as God's spokesman to Judah, the southern kingdom after the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms. Judah was quickly sliding toward destruction. They had disobeyed and rejected God's instructions.
So, "Jeremiah wrote a letter to the captives in Babylon to the elders, priests, prophets and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzer (Jeremiah 29:1). He instructed them to move ahead with their lives, to stop bemoaning their predicament and to pray for the pagan nation that had captured them. The NLT Bible (pg 1156) comes to the same conclusion Dave Ramsey pointed out.   "Life cannot grind to a halt during troubled times. In an unpleasant or distressing situation we must adjust and keep moving. You may find it difficult to pray if you are under the authority of evil people." During those times yit is hard to pray for those who are oppressing you. "But that is when your prayers are most needed."
NLT says "When you enter times of trouble or sudden change, pray diligently and move ahead, doing whatever you can rather than giving up because of fear and uncertainty. It is in this letter Jeremiah penned the scripture that has provided me a lot of comfort and peace of mind over the past few years, since FSU women's basketball coach Sue Semrau introduced me to it. "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."
God doesn't wants us to fail. He has not set us up to do so. But, the way that we become more closely attuned to His plan, is to pray, then roll up our sleeves and get to work. You might be thinking, "I'd like to but I lost my job during this recession."
Dave Ramsey is encouraging you not to give up, but to leave no stone unturned in finding a place where your talents can be used. Being pro-active and creative can lead to good things. If nothing else just the activity will help your feelings.
Jeremiah was saying the same thing. God has plans for us, but sometimes they take a hit because of a variety of factors often involving other people. But, he was telling the people to hang in there, not give up and to keep working.
The NLT commentary on Jeremiah says, that "unfortunately when Jeremiah spoke nobody listened." People wanted to do things their own way, so God let them be taken into captiivity. But, that didn't mean He didn't still care about them.
Dave Ramsey is telling us not to despair, we have "a new season of hope." But, as it was with Jeremiah, there are a lot of folks who are not listening and would rather concentrate on placing blame and feeling bad for themselves than doing something about it.
But, for those who do heed the positive approach instead of dwelling on all the bad things that have been and are happening there will truly be a "new season of hope."
Monday Prayer: Lord as we begin this new season of hope may we take a fresh approach. One that will keep us positive, active and giving in our actions so that we may embrace a new season of hope.
*** Author's note: Why not let that new season of hope begin in your life right now?. Think positive, be hopeful and stay in touch with your Heavenly Father.

Pressed for Time (April 22, 2009 by Jim Crosby

You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.
Psalm 75:2
               "Time is of the essence."
            "That was right on time."
            "Well, it's about time."
Stop and think about how many different sayings you've heard and use concerning the subject of time. Time seems to dictate how and when we do things.
If a meeting is scheduled to start at 8 o'clock and we don't get there until 8:15 it will start without us.
First pitch, kickoff or tipoff are scheduled to happen at a specific time. If we're not there, even if we have purchased front row seats (as if that were possible---unless of course we are celebrities) then they will start without us. Of course television dictates those strict starting times for athletic events. It TV says start the game at 2 a.m. then, that's when they start it whether anybody is watching or not.
Everything has a starting time. Weddings, church services, trials, and even funerals are scheduled to begin at a certain time.
No wonder I feel pressed for time so often. It's a feeling I don't really like. I'm the kind of guy who likes to get places ahead of time. I want to have a little time to find my seat, look around experience the atmosphere. Then, I'm ready to enjoy the event, when it gets started, right on time.
Now, the Lovely Susette, that's another story! She's always trying to get one more thing done. Consequently she often rushes in at the last second. Or if there is an unexpected traffic tie up, or an extra long red light (can you say Tallahassee) or any unexpected happening she might be late. I have to admit, however, she's gotten better at getting ready ahead of time and meeting our D-O-D (Driving out of the driveway) deadline. But, I think that's mostly because she's trying to honor my wishes.
Notice all the qualifying words I used such as "often;" "might be;" and "I think." That's because I read these devotions to TLS, for her feedback, and I don't want to get in trouble.
But, the fact is that we all feel "pressed for time." It wouldn't matter if the Lord gave us a special dispensation and added more hours to the day─I have a feeling that even more things would crop up that would command our attention and we would still be pressed for time.
Children have the most difficulty with the concept of time. Tell them to wait a little while before it is time to go or it will be time to do something, then seconds later they'll ask "is it time yet?"
On a trip, when the kids used to ask: "Are we there yet? or "How much longer before we will be there?"   Susette always had a stock answer. "About an hour," she would say. The kids had no conception of how long an hour was anyway, so it didn't really matter what they were told.
And of course there is this statement. "Time doesn't matter to God." Well, maybe that is not entirely true. I'm sure He created the concept of time for our benefit so we could have some order in our lives. He certainly didn't need it. He created a universe that has run in an orderly fashion since the "beginning of time" to use another familiar phrase. So things happen when God decrees they will happen, not when we, in our limited knowledge think they should happen.
Psalm 75:2 says: "You say, "I choose the appointed time, it is I who judge uprightly. The NLT commentary (pg 986) says "As limited human beings, we can't understand God's perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God's timing is better. When God is ready He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him to do. We may be as impatient as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God's timing. Wait for God to reveal His plan, Don't take matters into your own hands."
Sometimes we are like the little kids in the back seat of the car on a trip. We are impatient to have things happen. We want to rush God's plan along. "Are we there yet?" we wonder. And if we aren't there yet, we wonder what's taking God so long to get us there.
But, God's timing is always perfect. If we aren't getting to our desired place in life fast enough there is a reason. Maybe we need to learn more, grow more or have a change of heart. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what is best for us, even when we don't. Sometimes he holds us back and enables us to gain success in the future in spite of ourselves.
But, rest assured, God does have a plan, and it does involve time. Ephesians 1:9-10 reads: "God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ designed long ago according to His good pleasure. And this is His plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ─everything in heaven and on earth. The NLT commentary says: "Many people still do not understand God's plan; but at the right time, he will bring us together to be with Him forever. Then, everyone will understand."
Sometimes we wonder when God is going to bring about something in our lives. We ask and he says "In about an hour." But, keep in mind that God doesn't view time in the same perspective that we do. The One who created time, who holds eternity in the palm of his hand, doesn't look at time the same way we do.
So, "about an hour" from God may seem as long to us as that hour seems to the kids in the back seat of the car on a trip. It could seem like an eternity and maybe it is because we, not God, are the ones who are always "pressed for time."
Monday Prayer: Lord, grant us the patience and wisdom to know that time is only important from an earthly perspective. May we understand that the concept of time from your viewpoint is what is important and help us not to rush ahead of where you would have us be at this point in time. Amen!
***Author's note: I hope that you will feel less "pressed for time" this week, and more -willing to await God's leadership in time-related action. Have a great week!

Darkness and Light (April 15, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against Him.               Ephesians 4:18
Jesus said to the people, " I am the light of the world. If you follow me,you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."                 John 8:12
Once I was driving on a mountain road in bright daylight. It was a beautiful day and I was enjoying the scenery , looking at all the mountain wildflowers and various shapes and sizes of the rocks on the steep slopes.
Obviously I was not paying close enough attention to the road signs or I would have seen the one indicating there was a tunnel ahead. Before I realized it I had gone from bright sunshine into pitch black darkness. I was seized with a sense of shock and almost panicked until logic prevailed. As I fumbled around on the dashboard trying to locate the lights (it was a new car and I hadn't driven it that much) I realized I was in danger of crashing into one of the tunnel's walls as, trapped in the darkness, I had no sense of space. I couldn't tell if I was in the middle of the road or near a wall.
So, after the shock wore off, I did the smart thing and stopped the car, fully aware that if another car came barreling into that tunnel the crash could take us both out of there. So, pick your poison---crash into a wall or risk getting hit a by another vehicle.
Fortunately, I found the lights (right where they had always been) turned them on and drove safely out of there. Although I will admit that was right leg was shaking a little and felt weak as I pushed down on the accelerator. But, I certainly gained a great appreciation for the saying that we casually toss about, "I can see light at the end of the tunnel."
Coming from the darkness into the light is an exhilarating feeling in any area of your life. It could be a dark depression you are experiencing. This could have been brought on by any of a variety of reasons. Could be illness. Perhaps, financial. Maybe it was relationship oriented. But, when things are worked out. When you finally glimpse the light in the form of new understanding, a new environment or just a greater understanding that life goes on, then you began feeling positive about things again.
This past weekend we celebrated the culmination of Holy Week. On Good Friday our church held a Tennebrae service. Tennebrae means "shadows" in Latin. Everything about the service is dark. It is not intended to be uplifting. Tennebrae is not a happy service.
Our pastors Betsy Ouellette and Erick Ashley were dressed in black robes. The readers and singers were attired in all-black as well. The lights were very dim. Up front their were a number of candles which Pastor Betsy lit to begin the service. The number of candles was equal to the number of readings, concerning the betrayal, abandonment and crucifixion of Jesus. As each reader read his or her part they would extinguish a candle. Finally, the only lighted candle remaining was the Christ candle.
Then, as the pastor read the closing verses about the death on the cross of the Lord, she extinguished the final candle. There was no light. There was no happiness; only despair. The congregation left the building quietly. The hushed silence revealing that people had been moved by what they had heard and seen. It was the old, old story revisited. Especially touching was the Samaritones' (Worship Band) solemn, but lovely singing of "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?"
As the congregants gathered outside one lady said: "I kept wanting them to tell the rest of the story." But, all would have to continue waiting until the third day when the story of His resurrection would be unveiled on Easter Sunday.
This year our Easter Service was held in a large tent on the church grounds. There was plenty of sunshine and light. Spring flowers were visible. The Easter lilies, placed in the tent to commemorate and honor loved ones who had passed on, were beautiful.
This was a happy service! There was joy in singing and hearing how "He arose." There was pride and pleasure and thankfulness in closing the service with the pastor saying, "He is risen" and the congregation responding: "He is risen indeed!" This proclamation was repeated three times with each one getting louder until the final one was a shout!
The world had emerged from the darkness into the light. Jesus had proven that He was "the way, the truth and the light." Not all accept that. Those who don't remain lost in darkness. But, when one who was in the darkness does see the light there is cause for rejoicing. A life is changed. No longer does darkness cover them; they can now come out of that tunnel of darkness, breathe deeply and enjoy the sunshine and the life that is a gift from God. It's a new life.
In Ephesians 4:18 Paul says those who close their minds to this story of resurrection and new life are "full of darkness." They have "shut their minds" and "hardened their hearts." Sometimes even as believers we slip and fall into the darkness as we shut our minds and take a hard hearted approach instead of a loving one.
But Jesus tells us the good news about that. We are not doomed to the darkness of anger, depression or hardness of heart. He says in John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. If you follow me you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
We are no longer doomed to darkness. We can come into the light and enjoy life because. "He is risen indeed!"
Monday Prayer: Thank you Lord for the sacrifice You made so that we might escape the darkness and bask in the light of a wonderful life. Amen!
***Author: Let the sun shine on you and in your heart this week as you rejoice because of the risen Savior!





Flooded Out (April 8, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The rain continued to fall for 40 days and 40 nights.        Genesis 7:12
Last week in Florida's Capital City we could certainly see why Noah was very fortunate that God instructed him to build an ark. A couple of stormy weeks enabled us to practically overcome the entire year's water deficit. In fact, as I'm writing these opening paragraphs I was looking out of the office window, which is located in our carriage house on the second floor, and I could hardly see the house from where I was because it was raining so hard. Had to shut down the computer once due to brief power outages.
The wild winds were even blowing the limbs of the stately oaks about at will. More disconcerting was the internet weather report I read before shutting down the computer. It said that a tornado had been spotted 17 miles from Bainbridge, GA which is only 30 to 40 miles from Tallahassee.
Unlike Noah we did not go out and build an ark. We had no pre-storm warning from God like Noah had. All we had was radar. Noah had Heavenly Radar─that's better. With our radar we could never tell that it would rain for 40 days straight. But, we do know from reading the Bible that God has promised not to destroy the earth again by flooding. He's taken that one out of His bag of tricks.
But, as we think about the weather, especially during a storm, we realize that it can really have an impact on our lives. The best laid plans can be thwarted by inclement weather. It affects our moods, our actions, even our patience at times.
In dealing with weather diversions,the old saying expresses it best when it says to "just go with the flow." Obviously weather is something we have no control over. We must just accept it. Not let it defeat us. Choose alternate plans that are productive.
When I had to shut the computer down I started writing my thoughts for this devotion in long hand. Yes, there are still things like pens, pencils and pads around. Then when electricity was re-gained it was a simple procedure to type all of it in. Of course, if you have a laptop you could put it on "battery" and keep typing. Or perhaps you could just take a nap!
Anyway, back in Noah's day there was such an explosion of evil that God could not abide it any longer. He decided that he would destroy the earth by a flood and start over from scratch, with the exception of any righteous men, He could find. They would be spared. Unfortunately only Noah and his family qualified.
Now, does this mean God was admitting that He made a mistake and He regretted creating humanity? The NLT Bible (pg16) says "No. God does not change his mind (1 Samuel 15:29). Instead, He was expressing sorrow for what the people had done to themselves, as a parent might express sorrow over a rebellious child. God was sorry that the people chose sin and death instead of a relationship with Him."
But, being a fair and just God, he decided to first see if there was even one righteous man left on earth. He saw Noah. Does this mean that Noah was sinless?
No! Back to the NLT. "To say Noah was righteous and blameless does not mean that he never sinned. Rather it means that he wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God. For a lifetime he walked step by step in faith as a living example to his generation. Like Noah, we live in a world filled with evil. We are influencing others or being influenced by them.
So, that's good news. Even Noah sinned and God saved him. If that weren't the case I'm sure I would have lost out long ago. But, if we walk in faith, believing that God loves us and we are trying to do the right things, then God won't condemn us when we slip and make a mis-step. The more we try to honor Him and do the things He is calling us to do, the fewer mis-steps we will make.
So, God saw that Noah was trying, in the midst of all this evil, to do the right things. Honoring that, God told Noah to build an ark. Now this wasn't any small undertaking. The boat He was told to build─and God gave him detailed instructions─was to be the length of one-and-a-half football fields and as high as a four-story building. It was definitely the Titanic of it's day, with one exception. Noah's ark was unsinkable because it was built to God's specifications.
If we are building a life according to God's specifications we are in good shape. It's when we take those shortcuts, without determining if they are in His will, that we get into trouble. We use shoddy material, not building those dreams high enough or long enough. God has better things in store for us, just like He did for Noah.
Despite the fact that they hadn't had much rain and none was in sight, Noah began to build an ark under cloudless skies. He did as God commanded and got right to work. The NLT says: "other people must have been warned about the coming flood, but they didn't expect it to happen. Today, things haven't changed much. Each day thousands of people are warned of God's inevitable judgment, yet most of them don't really believe it will happen. But, remember God's promise to Noah to keep him safe. This can inspire you to trust God for deliverance in the judgment that is sure to come."
We have confidence, even in the midst of stormy times, that God will protect us. When it seems that we are flooded out and we feel despair and discouragement, one day soon, we will wake up to a beautiful sunny day. Than, once again God's glory will be revealed and we will remember how much He loves us.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for the rainbow at the end of the storm. Your eternal promise that You will find favor with those who honor You and try to live as You want us to, encourages us and directs us to a better life. Amen!
***Author's note: Enjoy your week. No matter if it rains or the sun shines, God still loves you.

Indicators (April 1, 2009) by Jim Crosby

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my eye upon you.           Psalm 32:8
Lately, for our morning devotional time together, The Lovely Susette and I have been renewing our acquaintance with some of the devotions in my 2002 book, "Monday  Morning Devotions." For us it is kind of a refreshing and fun exercise because it takes us back to an early time in our relationship and we experience each of these together again.
It is interesting to recall where we were, what was going on in our lives and where we were in our spiritual life at the time the Lord directed me to write that book of Devotions. Let me share one of the true stories from Chapter 40: "If it Ain't Broke Fix it." Looking at this chapter again and then processing the information in light of things that God has brought to pass in my life since then. It shows me just how God works His plan out in our lives.
Quoting from that chapter: "Our title this morning says the opposite (of the one you usually hear). We've changed it to read: ‘If it ain't broke FIX it." Maybe your life is going along just fine. Things can always get better. Only one person has ever lived the perfect life. Sometimes our lives might not be broken. We might not be morally and spiritually bankrupt. We're good people. We're trying to do the right things. We aren't leading broken lives, so we don't need fixing in the sense of a major overhaul. We may just need some minor repairs."
"It's like a problem I had with my car. I started hearing a little high pitched noise. Actually even farther back than that a friend had heard it and brought it to my attention. This person has super-sensitive hearing and frequently hears noises I don't even hear. But, since she has great hearing and mine is less than stellar, we usually disagree about the noise. When it is something to do with the car, I always try to downplay it. I'll say something brilliantly stupid like, ‘Oh, that's just engine noise. Car motors just naturally make a certain amount of noise. It comes with the territory.' "
"But, when a friend, with excellent hearing, hears a different noise, it hardly ever is just engine noise. It usually means I've got a developing problem. In other words, ‘it ain't broke, but I'd better fix it,' or it will be."
"As I have said before the only thing I know about cars is when you turn the ignition key on it's supposed to work. So, when it doesn't do that I have to do some figuring. I always hate it when I must take the car to the service department and tell them, ‘I've got a funny noise I want you to check out.' Because, invariably, when I get the car in front of a mechanic the noise will stop.' Then, he's liable to say something brilliant like, ‘That was probably just engine noise' (because he can't hear anything). Then he'll add. ‘There's a certain amount of noise a car's motor makes. This is some of that.' "
"Notice how when the mechanic says that it sounds like a brilliant deduction. When I said it to another person it just sounded dumb. Sounds like a cop-out. But, this time when I took it to the mechanic he heard the noise and said, ‘That's your indicators.'
"Oh, okay. Now, I didn't want to sound too illiterate, but I had to ask, ‘indicators for what?' Apparently those indicators start making a high pitched noise, one that only a friend with good hearing could discern, when the brake pads start wearing thin."
"Now if that situation isn't tended to soon, the pads will wear out and you'll have metal on metal, when you try to stop your car. Then' you'll have a real problem cause you could have to not only replace the brake pads, but a rotor as well. We're taking major expense here."
So, no matter how much I want to ignore the developing problem by taking an ‘if it it ain't brokedon't fix it attitude,' I really have to think "if it ain't broke (do) fix it" because if I don't it really is going to be broke(n).
So it means I have to take the time and trouble, to say nothing of the expense, to get it fixed. But, wait a minute...what expense? What about the warranty? This is a lease car, I've had it less that two-years. Surely the warranty covers that. Wrong! On brakes the warranty only covers the first 12,000 miles."
The point to apply to our daily lives is this. Our lives can be going along smoothly and everything looks great from the outside to those who can't hear the indicators. So, what are the indicators in your life? Are you tuned into those so you can avoid the major, metal-on-metal type of problems.
Our associate pastor Erick Ashley made a good point in church this past Sunday. We are studying John Wesley's "3 Simple Rules" which are: 1) Do No Harm 2) Do Good and 3) Stay in Love with God.   Erick said those rules probably should be inverted. He said "staying in love with God" is the most important." That way we are in tune with His plan and follow his directions. Otherwise we could get so caught up in trying to Do No Harm and Doing God that we burn out and have nothing left for God.
Erick suggested picking a time, each day, when we are at our best, to get closer to God and His plan for us. This would be a time...30 minutes or so...when we read the Bible, pray, and write down in a journal what God reveals to us.
By doing this we not only stay in love with God, but we can go back and look at times and circumstances, review where we were and see what has changed, There we will find indicators that will show us how to fix it even if it ain't broke, but could soon be.
Monday Prayer: Lord help us to be aware of the indicators you give us that trouble could be coming, but can be avoided by our staying in love with and close to You! Amen.
*** Author's note: Stay alert for those indicators this week. They will help you make the right decisions...ones that honor God and fit His plan for you.

What in the World are You Thinking About? (March 25, 2009)

"...I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble,                       reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious─the best not the worse; the beautiful, not the ugly' things to praise not things to curse."              Philippians 4 :8 (The Message)
Anybody ever ask you, "What's on your mind?" Maybe you just had that intense look on your face and they could smell the sawdust burning. J So, did you give them a truthful answer? Or simply give the usual reply: "Nothing, really."
Well, you can't have nothing on your mind. There is not a time, that I know of, when you are not thinking about something. Okay, so you don't have to share your thoughts if you don't want to. People ask, at their own risk, when they question what you are thinking about.
Yet we are always thinking about something. As a little boy once described it: "Thinking is when your mouth stays shut and your head keeps talking to itself."
Perhaps one of the most familiar and profound statements about thinking was uttered by the Philospher Descartes who said: "I think therefore I am."
In my book "Monday Morning Devotions" (MMD) published in 2002, Chapter 36 was entitled: "Think About What You are Thinking About." In it I quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote: "A man is what he thinks about all day long." Since we tend to actually "become precisely like" what we are thinking about or imagining ourselves to be then we can deduce that thoughts are things that actually possess dynamic power. Our thoughts control our actions and our actions tell the world a lot about who we are and how we think.
Also in MMD, Norman Vincent Peale is quoted in his landmark book "The Power of Positive Thinking." Peale wrote "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."
Human beings are able to store and retrieve information to reason and solve problems. So our thought process, according to Wikipedia, involves reasoning which is the way we use our knowledge to "draw conclusions or infer something."   Problem solving is "finding a solution to an unfamiliar task using the knowledge we have."
For example, The Lovely Susette just told me that our garbage disposal is stopped up. It was a simple process for me to figure out a solution. Reasoning out what to do based on my long proven tag of being "mechanically brain dead", I was able to solve the problem by suggesting that we call a plumber. Then, I could go back to thinking about things I could personally take care of without worrying about a plumbing problem I had no idea how to fix.
Paul was writing to the church at Philippi to thank them for their thoughtfulness. They had sent Paul some money to help offset expenses as he awaited trial for preaching the Gospel message. He also wanted to encourage them to stick together and maintain unity. Paul realized that divisiveness begins in the mind. So he was dispensing advice and exhorting them to guard their thought processes carefully and to put positive things in their minds. In this way a lot of strife would be avoided.
When Paul encouraged them to think lovely thoughts. The QSB says: "Paul is not thinking about fleeting impressions that invade our thinking. Thoughts of temptation or discouragement can come unannounced . But we can discipline ourselves making conscious choices to contemplate good things. Reading Bible verses, for example, or listing God's attributes can get us on the right track."
Several years ago Dr. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral wrote a book called "Power Thoughts." Schuller believes that what we think will govern how much we accomplish so he says, "Power Thinking is acting like we are what we would like to be! It sees the fun, the humor in life."
Schuller says that "We are as likely to act ourselves into a way of thinking and feeling as we are to feel ourselves into a new way of acting." So we are cautioned that sometimes we may act on the spur of the moment. Once we have acted then we might have to rearrange our thoughts to back up our actions. If we are used to thinking in a positive manner it is likely that these kinds of acts that come out of nowhere will be good ones. Obviously there is a lot of interaction between what we say and what we do. Most of the time we do what we think about.
William B. Given Jr. (in "Quotable Quotations") had this little warning about thought power. "Don't let yourself say or even think, "I am busy," "I haven't time," "I am tired." This makes you feel busier, or more rushed, or more tired than you actually are." I guess that takes us back to the old power-of-positive-thinking principle. Or in this case the power of negative thinking.
It behooves us to monitor our thinking and redirect the negatives into a more positive mode. As Betty Sachelli (in "Quotoable Quotations) pointed out. "Two thoughts cannot occupy the mind at the same time, so the choice is ours as to whether our thoughts will be constructive or destructive."
This self-examination should include things like what we read, the conversations we have, relationships we foster, i.e. anything we put time into because these things will occupy our minds and govern our thinking at least for the time frame in which they occur. Some will change us as people and as thinkers. Let's make those changes positive ones. And some will just reinforce our thinking which hopefully was on the right track.
So, it is very important to think about what in the world we are thinking about. But, there is one comforting thought about thinking. As Charles Kettering said: "Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax!"   Amen!
Monday Prayer: Lord help us in taking this to heart and pausing to think about the things that occupy our minds. We pray that we'll be able to focus on the positive, the uplifting and the lovely thoughts thereby limiting and erasing the negative thoughts that would defeat us. Amen!
***Author's note: Well there's food for thought. Not very often do I consciously try to redirect my thinking. Maybe if we start doing that this week it will become a habit and we'll benefit from it in a lot of ways.


From Bad to Good (March 18, 2009) by Jim Crosby

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good... Genesis 50:20
The best bumper sticker I've seen recently was one that challenges us to "Just say "no" to negativity." Isn't that great! I like it! Boy, everywhere you turn these days you see negative things in abundance. People are down. Jobs have been lost. The stock market has tanked. Gas prices skyrocketed. We remain in a recession. Food costs are soaring. The cost of health care is beyond soaring. Wars continue. It is very easy to develop a negative mindset.
With all the bad things going on how do we say "no' to negativity? One of the best ways is to focus on where we want to be instead of getting mired in where we are. It's easy to get bogged down and lose sight of our goals; let our hopes fade and our dreams get dashed. It's hard to put aside the misery and remember what things were like in better times.
At first, when bad things happen, we can still remember the good times. But, if they continue..if you get up everyday and see your bank account dwindling; your life savings diminishing or having to be used to pay bills..then the longer the problems exist the harder it is to recall those more carefree days. That's just one example and I use it because financial concerns are on a lot of folks minds presently.
Now, do I have an answer as to how to make all this go away? I wish I did. But, I do know this. When we get through it we'll be stronger...we'll be more appreciative of things we take for granted...and yes, we will be better off. The bad will turn into good.
Let me give you an example. Last week The Lovely Susette (TLS) and I were struck with a vicious virus. (So, why did I get a flu shot. Sure didn't help me avoid this one.) This was unlike anything I had experienced. Now, TLS and I have been blessed with great health and we are truly thankful for that. In fact, having undergone this recent experience we are even more appreciative and careful to thank God for the blessing of health.
But, it was hard to recall what it was like to feel good, even though that has been the case for most of our lives. When, you have to literally run to the bathroom and experience explosive...uh, throwing-up (sorry, I know this isn't a pretty picture but it makes a point) then that's about all you can think about.
It was almost a week before TLS and I could really even eat a decent meal without fearing repercussions. Still can't enjoy a cup of coffee. Used to like smelling coffee brewing in the morning, not now. But, before Starbucks starts getting worried, let me hasten to add that I have not made a vow to give up coffee.
So, what is the good tah came from this bad thing...this week of sickness? Well, it caused me to take a look at my health habits. It caused me to think differently about salads, fruits, nuts, and drinking lots of water. Sure, I had heard nutrionists talk about those things before...yada, yada, yada. Then I'd snack during the day on candy, potato chips, etc. Never ate fruit. Okay, I'd eat half of the obligatory salad that came with dinner.
Guess what? In just 10 days of simply paying attention to what I'm eating and trying to eath healthy, I feel better than I have in years. Energy level is up. Positivity abounds. This is a very good thing that has come out of a really bad thing.
Same old problems are around. Having to watch every nickel we spend in a tough economy with business being down. Still looking for just the right publisher or agent for the book I've written. Susette's interior design business, like just about every business in today's economy, has felt the pinch. But, you know what my mindset is just so positive that I am able to say "no" to "negativity."
You say fine. That and a buck will buy you a cup of coffee somewhere.   Well. let's review an old familiar story for more positive reinforcement. It's one in which harm was deliberately intended, but the end result was absolute victory for the victim.
Remember the story of Joseph, the father's favorite, in the book of Genesis. His brothers were jealous, hated him, sold him into slavery to a caravan of traders who hauled him off to Egypt. Of course, because Joseph just said no-to-negativity he really made something of himself despite the circumstances. He was so successful that he became governor.
Then, when the famine hit and Joseph's brothers had to come to Egypt to buy the only grain that was around they had know way of knowing they would come face-to-face with the brother they had betrayed. After making them jump through some hoops Joseph did reveal who he was.
Oops! They immediately fell on their knees fearing imprisonment which they deserved or even execution. Now here's the amazing thing. Joseph did not reap revenge on them. He saw the big picture and said: "Do not be distressed for sending me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. (Gen. 45:5) So then it was not you who sent me here, but God."(vs 8)
QSB says, "...the brothers did not have to treat Joseph wrongly for God to do what he desired. God's options are infinite. We can now understand Joseph's story in light of Romans 8:28 "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
God can take the bad and turn it into good. Trust Him. Keep your chin up and your faith strong. Take the little victories as you find them each day and do as Dr. Robert Schuller says' "turn those hurts into halos and scars into stars."
God is a Master at turning bad into good!
Monday Prayer: Lord, as a people we are hurting in many ways. Still we are abundantly blessed. We look forward with great anticipation to joyfully experiencing the good times that will follow the bad ones. Amen!
***Author's note: Keep on hanging tough. Remember God plus "one" equals a majority and that "one" is you.  :)



The 93 Million (March 11, 2009)- Jim Crosby

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosover believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.   John 3:16
93 million is an extremely large number. I can't even envision what it would look like to see 93 million of anything in anyplace at the same time. That's why it was astounding to me to hear that 93 million people didn't know THE most familiar verse of scripture in the Bible: John 3:16.
It has become such a universally known verse that people often just refer to it as 3:16 without even prefacing it with the name of the New Testament book and other believers immediately know what they are talking about.
What brings this up is that recently the Florida Legislature and Governor Charlie Christ had a special day of recognition for the University of Florida's national championship football team. The Gators were led by QB Tim Tebow, a very strong Christian, whose parents are missionaries to the Philippines. Tim has assisted them in the mission field since an early age.
Tebow has become an exceptional athlete as well. He has now played on two national championship teams and won a Heisman Trophy. But, despite all the accolades heaped upon him he has always given credit to the Lord for blessing him with talent and granting him success. One of the things that Tebow does to point attention to the importance of his faith is to write a scripture on the eye black that players wear under their eyes to cut down glare and aid their vision during a game.. When the television cameras focus close up on him in uniform on the playing field this scripture is clearly visible.
During the season Tebow had worn a different verse: Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." But, Florida Coach Urban Meyer told the Legislature that Tebow changed it for the National Championship Game to John 3:16. As a result of that apparently 93 million people "googled" that verse to see what it said.
If you are like me you can't remember a time in your life when you couldn't recite from memory. 3:16. It is the first verse I remember learning as a child in Sunday School. It is probably the most recognized verse of scripture in the Bible. And of course the Bible is the all-time mega-best selling book in history. No other book even comes close or has even nearly as many editions. In fact, more pages on more books have been devoted to Jesus Christ than to any person whoever lived. It is as astounding to me as it was to Tim Tebow that 93 million people had to go on-line on the internet to find out what this scripture said.
Is that an eye opener for us as believers? As Christians, especially those who grew up in the church and it has always been a part of our lives, we just kind of assume that everybody knows what we believe. Everybody knows about Jesus, right? Apparently not if that many people had never heard the most important verse about Him.
John 3:16 says a lot in that one sentence. It is about love, trust, faith and hope. God's love for us is so great that He was willing to give up His only Son for our future. So this verse points out the importance of our accepting that gift and trusting Him as the way to our salvation. It is a verse that gives us hope for the future, no matter how dark the times we are going through might seem. We accept all this on faith and it continues to sustain us and give stability to our lives.
The NLT Bible puts it this way: "To ‘believe' is more than intellectual agreement that Jesus is God. It means to put our trust and confidence in Him that He alone can save us. It is to put Christ in charge of our present plans and eternal destiny. Believing is both trusting His words as reliable, and relying on Him for the power to change."
This Son has impacted more lives than any other person. Phillip Yancey, noted Christian writer, has a book called "The Jesus I Never Knew." Yancey notes how his relationship with Jesus has changed over the years. His book begins this way:
"I first got acquainted with Jesus when I was a child, singing ‘Jesus Loves Me' in Sunday School, addressing bedtime prayers to ‘Dear Lord Jesus,' watching Bible Club teachers move cutout figures across a flannelgraph board. I associated Jesus with Kool-Aid and sugar cookies and gold stars for good attendance."
Yancey goes on to say as an adult looking back on his Sunday School image of Jesus was one of "someone kind and reassuring, with no sharp edges at all─a Mister Rogers before the age of children's television. As a child I felt comforted by such a person."
In Bible College he encountered more of a Cosmic Christ who he was urged to develop "a personal relationship with." Despite all this he admits that Jesus grew more remote from him. As the years passed by Yancey's picture of Jesus and his relationship with him continued to change.
Each person's individual relationship with Jesus is different as they view Him in a context that fits for them. Norm Evans, former Miami Dophins lineman wrote in his book On God's Squad "I guarantee you Christ would be the toughest guy who ever played the game. If he were alive today I would picture a 6'6", 260 pound defensive tackle who would always make the big plays and would be hard to keep out of the backfield for offensive linemen like myself." Former Major League pitcher Fritz Peterson views Jesus as a player who "...if Jesus Christ was sliding into second base would knock the second baseman into left field to break up the double play."
Yancey says the more he studied Jesus the more impossible it became to pigeon hole him. He concludes: "Inevitably a search for Jesus turns out to be ones own search. No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same."
That's why Tim Tebow, rightfully, feels compelled to attract the attention of "The 93 Million" to John 3:16.
Prayer: Lord Jesus we seek to know you better and thank you for those who have great public influence, like Tim Tebow, and are unafraid to proclaim you as their guiding light. Help each of us to examine our own sphere of influence and do the same. Amen!
***Author's note: Each day we have an opportunity to let the love of Christ shine through us. Let's do it!




The Writer (March 4, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Publish His glorious deed among the nations; tell everyone about the amazing things He does!    Psalm 96:3
According to the Writer's Digest Magazine website (http://www.writersdigest.com/ ) if you type the word "writer" into the Google search engine "it will bring up an astonishing 243-million websites." Wow! There sure are a lot of writers out there!
But, the fact is that we are all writers, of a sort. In fact, the older we get the more all of us write because we discover if we don't write important things down we...uh, let's see, where was I going with this? Oh yeah, we forget them...without a written reminder. :)
So, yes there is a whole lot of writing going on and you don't even have to be good at it to write. With the advent of email people found that they could get messages to others even more quickly than placing a phone call by simply composing a brief email and sending it to them. They would receive it almost instantaneously on their computers. We are spending more time on our computers now than ever before. You don't get sidetracked by a long conversation that takes you away from other stuff when you send an email.
Text messaging, available from cell phones, is becoming more popular. People use a special language people to keep the message brief...such as using "U" for "you." This gets their message across in a time saving manner and because of the special "you have a text message ring" the receiving party is instantly notified that your written message is there. This is attractive to people who are in a hurry (aren't we all?) and they aren't interested in forwarding a perfectly written, grammatically correct, smartly punctuated message. Just the facts!
I love to write! I hate to write! Contradictory statements? Well, yes and no. When the thoughts are coming so fast I can't get them down quickly enough and I get excited about what I'm writing, I love to write. When, I am struggling with a topic and just can't get into it, then writing ain't so much fun. I can think of lots of things I'd rather be doing. But, since I chose to become a professional writer several years ago I have to write whether it's fun and exciting or depressing and prosaic.
The other day I was sitting around analyzing where my life is headed. I started by examining what I spend most of my time doing. In so doing, it occurred to me that I spend a major part of my time reading, writing, or reading about writing. The good thing about this is that I can consider myself working even if I'm reading a good book. As a writer your world is influenced by the things you read. The techniques, styles, plots, characters and formats used successfully by others help shape your own writing personality.
For years I had wanted to be a writer, but the thing that prompted me get out of radio and into writing is addressed in Psalm 96:3. "Publish His glorious deed among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He Does." Sure I wanted to ─forgive this oldest, most unimaginative cliché─"write the Great American Novel." I realize, by using lines like that one, I would never pen the Blockbuster book I desired to write.
What happened is I began writing life experiences based on the Bible. Since most of my involvement had been in sports─playing, watching, broadcasting and talking about games─a lot of what I wrote was sports-themed. But, more of it than I had anticipated was religious, or faith-themed as well. Slowly, I began to realize this might be a little niche I could fit in.
By being a sportscaster on television, then radio, I had access to a lot of sports material. Having been intrigued and shaped by studying the Bible since childhood I also had become well-versed─I use that term instead of expert, which I am not─in Biblical stories, themes and lessons. As a writer I have found if you can discover an area of great interest in the lives of people, a scriptural correlation can be used that will get their attention and cause them to examine and hopefully, improve their lives and God's plan for them.
David, who is believed to be the writer of this 96^th Psalm, was doing a little reflecting on his life. In so doing he became overwhelmed by all that God had done in his life. So he exhorted us to think about God's blessings and "publish" them everyday. When something good is going on in your life it is natural to want to tell somebody about it. You want someone to share your joy.
Well, King David says that something good is going on everyday. So, tell people about God's goodness...publish this good news. Telling others about these things comes naturally when our hearts are full of God's blessings. We grow a little each time we tell (publish) God's goodness so others can consider this and be uplifted.
You really don't have to want to write a book, article, memoir, journal or anything of that nature to be a writer. While being a professional writer is a different category  all of us do write something, Most people write down things to jog your memory and use them on a personal basis only. That's the extent of what they write.  Some are letter writers or diary keepers or write out goals or strategies.  Business people write out proposals or work plans.
One other reason I became a writer was that in looking at the years quickly passing by and trying to find some lasting meaning and purpose in my life, I realized that after you are gone, the things that you have written down on paper or in your computer are still here. These are things you will be remembered by. That's a good thing.
Seeing your work in print can be heady stuff. Going into a bookstore and seeing your book there, on the shelf can be even headier.   If your book is sitting next to John Grisham's latest that's ulitimate. Your thoughts are captured in print. So are your mistakes. So, it is best to thoroughly think through what you are writing about. How do you want to be remembered?
The Lovely Susette says that I am "the right writer for her." I like being called that. It's what I do and who I am. Having her approval is very important to me. I've even recorded that "right writer" description on my website (http://www.writeman.com/) incorporating it as my theme or slogan.
Yes, no matter what you write...professionally or personally...being a writer is a good thing. When, your written thoughts proclaim God's blessings that's even better.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the art of writing. Help us to express our love and appreciation for You as writers and speakers, personally, one-on-one, or professionally in a venue intended to reach the eyes and ears of many. Amen!
***Author's note: OK writers, readers, talkers, thinkers. Return God's love by thanking Him and telling others this week.



The Process (February 25, 2009) by Jim Crosby

I am the Lord and I do not change. Malachi 3:6
As I was walking with the Lovely Susette this morning we started talking about what would make a good devotional topic for the week. Well, we got around to that after we finished whining, complaining and wondering why we were walking, in the first place, since the temperature was in the mid-30's and a chilling wind made it seem even colder. 30's in North Florida in February! Can you imagine that? But, since I love cold weather I shouldn't be griping at all.
Anyway, she started talking about something she was doing in her business and would be bringing her assistants along with her. She was going to do a deeper analysis of her interior design business (Affinity Design Group- http://www.affinitydesigngroup.com/) She wanted to really look at all aspects of her business and be sure that her business model was one that was best for her clients and for the business as a whole.
Everyone is suffering through harsh economic times now. So, rather than be discouraged and defeated, undergoing an examination of your work, your play, in fact the way you "do" life is a productive thing to do. It is something that could pay major dividends for a brighter future when things get straightened out. When they do, those people who learned from their difficulties will come out even stronger than before.
You see, life is really a process. From birth to death it involves a process. As Webster, of dictionary fame, likes to say process is a "continuing development involving many changes." I'm sure you can say "amen" to that. As a fellow once said: "the only thing in life that is constant is change." If you are breathing, your life will change.
Some folks like to call it a journey. Some are blessed with longer journeys and greater exposure to opportunities to benefit from change than others. That's why we need to make the most of the process everyday.
I'll be celebrating a birthday this week. In doing so I usually find it a good time to think about my life and examine just how I am handling this process. Obviously, I like everyone else, am undergoing physical changes. Some for the better and some...well, uh. we won't go there.
Just let me say unlike the time, quite a few years ago, when my son Clint and I were walking past the booth of one of those "carney" types at Six Flags Over Georgia. You've seen those guys. They try to interest you in defeating them by getting them to guess your weight or your age, with a small margin for error built in. They usually win.If they lose you get a prize. So, I said..."Hey I'm gonna nail this guy." And sure enough he missed my age by 19 years. Had to show my driver's license to prove it.
All my life people had been telling me I didn't look my age... they thought I was much younger. When I was young that was not a compliment I liked. The older I have gotten the more treasured those observations are. I don't hear them a lot any more.
But, more significant are the mental aspects of the process. Hopefully we grow wiser with time. Sometimes the old cliché, "Experience is the best teacher" holds true. Often we learn things that accelerate our growth before we have the actual experience. But, change is certain in our lives, for sure.
In our weekly "Science and Theology" class last week we discussed "Tectonic Plates." In scientific terms these explain changes in the earth. They demonstrate that even the earth we inhabit is undergoing a process. Briefly, and I hope I get this right, if I don't, well, I'm not scientist. But, apparently all the landmass of the earth at one time was joined together. Then over time because of the movement of water and these tectonic plates the land broke apart in certain areas forming separate continents. Okay, now maybe that's not it exactly, but it serves the purpose of demonstrating that there is a process behind the earth's changes.
Now here's the thing. While all these changes are going on the one real constant, the thing we can depend on is that God does not change. Whether you believe that he incorporated some evolutionary process to create the World or if you believe the description in Genesis indicates that he created everything in a set amount of time, there is a process involved.
More and more scientists, in their on-going studies, have come to realize that there is a certain order in the world and that these systems did not just happen. They didn't get there by accident. This order speaks of the work of a Creator. Despite what some of the school textbooks do not say there is great cause to believe in Intelligent Design.
Of course, I'm preaching to the choir here. We, as believers, do have a big advantage in this on-going process. Our faith enables us to see change and testing and times of struggle as ones of growth and fulfillment of hopes. Because we communicate with the Lord we can have the "peace that surpasses all understanding" even in the most difficult of times.
The prophet Malachi rebuked the people and the priests for failing to remain steadfast in worship and not staying within God's will. As the NLT Bible says, "Their relationship to God had become inconsequential." Their process was going the wrong way. They were growing the wrong way. They did not stop to analyze what was happening and realize their process was headed in the wrong direction.
Fortunately for us and for the Israelites, who were being warned by Malachi, to change their ways, God seems to have endless patience. He lets us make our own foolish mistakes then welcomes us back to sanity. He realizes that we are still in a process. We are not a finished product yet.
So, even if we notice a few more gray hairs and nobody mis-guesses our age by 19 years any more that doesn't matter. We are still in a learning process. Hopefully we get more things right than wrong the more we learn and grow and work at it.
Just as the Lovely Susette's business benefits from the process of redesigning the Business Model, so will our self-analysis and understanding of God's role and his love and patience. These will give us an improved model to guide us. Then, the process will continue to move forward in all aspects of our lives.
Monday Prayer: Lord please grant us the wisdom to keep you involved in every part of the process of building a life. Thanks for loving us. Amen!
Author's note: Keep the process in line with your hopes and dreams and God will grant you favor in your endeavors.


DNDC (February 18, 2009) by Jim Crosby

For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. Proverbs 5:21
Tony Dungy, in his book "UnCommon" says when he was coaching the Colts and they were trying to decide which new players to add to the team they had a category on their evaluation form labeled "DNDC"─Do Not Draft because of Character.
Dungy writes, "Every year many players that we put in that category get drafted in the first round by other teams and some even go on to be household names in the NFL. But, we pass on them because of something we see in their character that makes us think they are not worth the risk. Most of the time, we're right. And those times when we are make it worth those times when we're not."
Character! Although there are at least 15 different dictionary definitions the one that fits what Dungy and his staff were looking for is: "moral strength, self-discipline, fortitude." It also alluded to a "good reputation." I believe all of us picture ourselves as men or women of character.
But, to be people of good character we have to act like that kind of a person. Dungy says: "What you do is not as important as how you do it." Then he adds, "Those words keep coming back to me when I am tempted to choose what is expedient over what is right. People who bend the rules to get ahead usually get caught in the long run. But, even if they don't get caught, they will always know how they made it to the top. And at some deep-down level, they'll know that they're frauds and that maybe they didn't have what it took to accomplish such achievements on a level playing field." Sometimes it is very tempting to take a short cut, do the wrong thing and take the easy way out. A person might be able to get away with it for awhile, but eventually someone will find out.
In Proverbs 6 we are told to consider the ways of the ant. Ants are always on the move. They are always working, gathering and storing provisions. The commentary on this (QSB) says: "There is no formula or shortcut to success. But, self-discipline is certainly a character trait of all successful people...".the writer (of Proverbs) suggests "There is wisdom in hard work motivated by a spirit of foresight and diligence."
Does this mean to have character we must become a workaholic...work all the time and when we do take a break be thinking about work? No! Absolutely not! Working hard and doing it in the right way is just one of the elements of character.
Looking in my Synonym Finder for other descriptions of character, I discover words such as integrity; honesty; honor; courage; strength; backbone; respectability; uprightness; goodness; truthfulness; sincerity; conscientiousness and scrupulousness." Show me a person who possesses all of those attributes and I'll show you a true saint. He or she would certainly be a godly person.
So, none us possesses all of the traits incorporated in character. But, we all have some of these and can develop those and acquire others. Aristotle said: "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." So we can learn, develop and cultivate those traits that broaden our horizons and deepen our character.
Remember the anti-drug ad line: "Just Say No!" That's often what it takes to build character. When we are dead-tired, stressed, under-pressure it can be tempting to cheat. Fatigue can cause us to compromise our principles. It's hard to say "no." Sometimes there are some mighty tempting offers to do wrong out there. Things that are bad for us can come gift-wrapped and looking good. But, as people of character we can resist these. May not be easy, but it can be done.
Dungy says: "Character begins with the little things in life. I must show that I can be trusted with each and every thing, no matter how trivial it may seem." I fully believe that when we do this God rewards that kind of behavior. When we show that we can be trusted in the little things, God will entrust us with more and more. This may not happen overnight, but little by little, if we stop to analyze the way things have unfolded in our lives we will see this is true. We just have to keep working at it and doing things in the right way.
In addition the Coach says: "Outwardly, character reflects an inner life committed to honor and uncompromising integrity." Albert Camus said: "Integrity has no need of rules." If a person has this built-in integrity he or she doesn't have to be bound by a set of rigid rules. Intuitively they know what is right and wrong. They understand what is genuine and what is specious. Instinctively they choose the right path.
All that being said let's remember "there are no perfect people." Because we err, sometimes slip up and make bad choices does not mean we are not people of character. God forgives us in these times...if we ask Him to. It is up to us to learn from these times and move positively forward. We can't continue to beat ourselves up for mistakes, but we don't want to err in the same manner again. According to Dungy, "Ultimately, character and its growth don't come from rules, but from the small actions of responsibility that occur day after day."
In further reflection Aristotle said; "Excellence of character is a state concerned with choice , this being determined by reason and in the way in which the man of practical wisdom would determine it."
So, it is our choice. We can choose to have character or be a character. Or maybe we can do both. Whatever we do, if being a person of character defines it that's a good thing. Then, God will never write DNDC on our evaluation form.
Prayer: Lord help us to be ever mindful of our character development. As we order our lives in such a way that we are people of good character we know that our actions will honor You. Amen!
***Author's note: Let's make sure our actions reflect our character this week by thinking about how they reflect who we are before we act. Have a great week!

A Super Study (February 11, 2009) by Jim Crosby

If any man builds on this foundation...his work will be shown for what it is because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of the man's work. 1 Corinthians 3:13
I couldn't help being impressed by one thing in particular during this year's Super Bowl telecast. No, it wasn't the commercials which cost $3 million dollars for a 30-second ad. But, doesn't that seem a little out of line in these harsh economic times?
The thing that most impressed me as the Cardinals and Steelers engaged in a duel to the finish, was individual effort. Sure everybody has to play hard in a football game for his team to win. But, let's face it sometimes a player will loaf or take a down off. In this game, it appeared to me that every player on the field was going all out on every play until the final gun sounded. Yeah, those guys are getting paid lots of money to play the game. But, when it comes down to the fact that the game is on the line...the outcome could be determined by the next play or the next one, each player had to dig down deep, forget about fatigue and show that they had heart and talent by doing everything in their power to win.
As the game wound down to it's exciting finish can you imagine the pressure on each player competing in front of 100 million viewers on television. At that point it didn't matter if a player was making thousands or millions of dollars. Each one had an equal opportunity to make a play or mess up a play that would be captured on video, in newspapers and talked about forever in football history. Talk about pressure. That was big time stuff!
Okay, so what does that have to do with us as weekly devotional readers? The point I want to make concerns doing your best. The things that those players did to get to the point where all the world was watching them didn't start out that way. You don't just go out and play in a Super Bowl when you first start playing football. It takes years of hard work, practice and perfecting your game to get there.
Countless hours of practice, commitment and hard work are required to make it.. Then, when you do arrive you must give the greatest effort of a lifetime to justify having committed a major part of your life to get to this one game.
These football players don't start out with any guarantees that they will ever make it to a Super Bowl. They begin with a dream. They can envision themselves in a uniform playing on such a stage. They all start with that same dream. Not all make it. In fact, percentage-wise very few achieve their dream. And of the ones who do, only one team walks away from the Super Bowl field as a winner.
What should inspire us is not the money, the glory, the fame, but the effort. Putting everything we have into something has it's own rewards and victories as well as its own share of frustrations and defeats.
We go to work day after day with dreams of having a better life, enjoying a wonderful retirement, of being able to look back with satisfaction at what we have accomplished. But, let's face it. Sometimes that can be drudgery. We lose sight of the big picture, the end result we desire. It takes so long to get where we want to go. But, the things we do every day and how well we do them lead to the end result.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that we can lay the foundation for our work and then throw ourselves into it and we should do this, but the end result will be tested with fire. I think he uses fire as an example because fire refines things. It burns away all the impurities. In the case of gold it gets all the dross out of the way and leaves the real thing...a glittering, glowing precious metal.
It is the same with testing out the things we do in our daily lives. Everything we do adds up to something. If we keep piling on hard work, unselfishness and kindness that is the kind of result we will end up with. We will have a lifetime of victories, some big, some small. People will like us; even admire us.
But, if we get lazy, slough off, lose sight of our goal and let the dream fade then we are headed for disappointment and regret. The wouldas and shouldas and couldas will be all that is left of the dream.
Now in verse 11 of today's scripture Paul writes: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." In verse 12 he adds: "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw then (vs 13) his work will be shown for what it is...
The vision we have, to be achieved, must start with the proper foundation. When, that is our faith and we believe that Jesus is that foundation, we're off to a good start. Remember those WWJD bracelets lots of folks were wearing at one time. They were reminders that "What Would Jesus Do" was an important measuring stick for the things we do each day.
Just like the establishing of good practice efforts start those players on the road to the Super Bowl, so do our daily actions head us out on the road to a lifetime of achievements that will stand the test of time and the purifying heat of fire.
There will be fumbles, interceptions, missed tackles and penalties along the way for us, just like the Super Bowl players have experienced. It is what we do with these negatives and how we compensate for and overcome them that counts in the long run.
So, we must treat each day as another day of practicing to achieve perfection as we strive to reach the Super Bowl of life. Meanwhile, it is important to enjoy the journey. Let's continue to count our blessings and build on that foundation that has been laid out for us. It's up to us as to what kind of materials we use from here on out.
Prayer: Lord, we are thankful that you pick us up when we fall and encourage us when we face discouragement. You have equipped us to win the Super Bowl of life, so we pray that we will stay on track and not stray from the path you have mapped out for us. Amen!
***Author's note: Have a Super Week!   Enjoy each day for the blessing it is. :)





A Connect-the-Dots Person (February 4, 2009) by Jim Crosby

He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.        Acts 11:24
Remember having fun with those "connect-the-dots" puzzles when you were a kid or now as a parent or grandparent watching the determined look on a child's face while doing one? It is a great way to teach "counting" as the kid has to connect dot #1 to dot #2. "Now what comes after two? Three...that's right Bobby. Now draw a line..." This continues until the final dot is reached. Then, all of those lines connecting the dots reveal a picture. Great fun!
Connecting the dots is important. In the case of a puzzle you have to connect all of the dots to have a complete picture. Yes, you could probably guess what the picture was going to be before finishing and just stop and I say, "Okay I know what that is. Let's go on to the next one." But, the picture would be unfinished.
That's how some people conduct their lives however. I've been guilty of it at times. Those who have a Type A personality and want to get things done as fast as they can, will abandon a puzzle or a task as soon as they know the answer. They won't stick around to enjoy the completed picture and admire the work that achieved it.
Just as some kids give up or tire of the project before all the dots are connected, some adults give up on a project before it is completed or they move on to another step in the process without having the total picture. This often leads to failure or achieving an incorrect or untrustworthy result.
Of course, some never get started. They look at the task and say, "Aw, I don't think I want to do that. That's too much work." Or "That's not worth it." Or "I don't think I'll get anything out of it. It's a waste of time."
Researching this topic I came across a dots puzzle from January 20, 2009. Just looking at the arrangement of dots and numbers and remembering that it was Inauguration Day in the USA, I could tell the picture would end up portraying our new President Barack Obama. In effect, I was connecting the dots in my mind without connecting the dots on paper.
Wikipedia says: "The phrase ‘connect-the-dots' is sometimes used as a metaphor to illustrate a person's ability (or inability) to associate one idea with another."
Recently, in a post game press conference, Coach Sue Semrau (FSU, Women's Basketball) was asked about the role of senior Mara Freshour. She said "Mara is a connect-the-dots" player." She meant that Mara was so versatile and so unselfish she was willing to step in and do any task that would most help the team.
She could bring the ball up court, or hustle down and post-up. She would get a steal, block a shot, get a rebound, hit a free throw or a three-pointer and guard any player, big or small, she was assigned to. Now, how important is having a player like that around in basketball--- a team sport? Actually any team could use a player like that.
Barnabas was God's connect-the-dots-player. He is one who God was able to use effectively in a variety of ways because he made himself available. Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus whose given name was Joseph. The Apostles called him Barnabas which means "son of encouragement" because that was his real strength. Barnabas knew how to encourage people. He could defuse anger and bring about consensus. He was a great assistant or a great leader, whichever role was most needed.
Thanks to Barnabas' ability to connect-the-dots we have a lot of the New Testament in its present form. No, he didn't write it, but his work made it possible for much of it to be written. You see, without his good reputation and friendly demeanor, the Apostle Paul's career and Kingdom work would have been greatly diminished.
Barnabas became a convert and one of the first things he did was sell some possessions and give the money to help Christians in Jerusalem at an early time in the life of the church. So, the first dot he drew a line to was a financial contribution.
After the stoning of Stephen many of the new believers scattered around the area. They were still telling the Good News of Jesus, but only to the Jews. But, some went on to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks. The faith of these new believers needed a little shorting up. They needed someone to come in and let them know that they were doing good and to encourage them. Who better to do that than the old master encourager himself---Barnabas? So he connected another dot in the early church.
Later, after the Lord called Saul, the persecutor of Christians, to be Paul the dynamic apostle, all the Christians were afraid of him and didn't believe he had changed sides. So, it was Barnabas who the Lord called to connect another dot. This one was a biggie. Barnabas found Paul and took him with him to Antioch to convince the Believers that Paul had a true conversion. Then, for a year, they went around as a team preaching and the people began to trust Paul.
The next dot Barnabas would connect was to convince Paul that his nephew, John Mark, should accompany them on their first missionary journey. When he abandoned the trip, Barnabas would later connect another dot by agreeing to create a another missionary team since Paul wouldn't give John Mark a second chance. Thus Barnabas and John Mark, who would write the Gospel of Mark, became a team. Paul and Silas worked together, thereby doubling the number out in the field.
So, as church-goers and believers, we owe much of the early growth and stabilizing of the church to the efforts of Barnabas, the encourager, and premier connect the dots person.
In thinking about the things we do in our lives, I believe each of us can become a connect-the-dots person, in some form, by simply looking for ways to do good and encouraging others to do their best. One connect-the-dots person on the team is great. But, if you have a whole team full of them. Wow! Just imagine what could happen!
Prayer: Lord, teach us how to connect-the-dots by encouraging others. By doing this they will improve and we'll get better as well. Thank you for always hearing our prayers. Amen!
***Author's note: When you connect-the-dots this week the puzzle will be solved and a beautiful picture will emerge. Have a great week!



The Sweet Spot (January 28, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.       James 3:13
You're standing on the 18^th tee. It has been a frustrating round of golf. You have seen parts of the golf course, while looking for your errant shots, that haven't been visited by human beings in ages. You're thinking, "Maybe I should give up this humbling game and take up some other hobby."
Then, it happens! You swing the club and connect solidly making a sound you haven't heard all day or many times in your life. You have made contact with the sweet spot on your "driver" and you admire the flight of the ball which is long and straight and right in the middle of the fairway a long way from the tee. Maybe you won't give up this game after all. Hitting the "sweet spot" will bring you back.
Best selling author and leadership expert, Lee Colan, has a good explanation of the sweet spot: "Most types of sports equipment like a golf club, a tennis racquet or a baseball bat have a certain spot that, if the ball hits it, will give the player the optimal result. Hitting this sweet spot yields a long drive down the fairway, a swift crosscourt return or home run swing. Every sport has a sweet spot of some type. If you have experienced it, you know when you hit the sweet spot, you barely feel it. The ball goes where you want it to go---even further and faster. Doesn't get any better than that."
Once I hit the "sweet spot" on my bat with the bases loaded and the game on the line. The ball jumped off the bat so quickly and headed for the gap with a game winning hit that I thought, momentarily, "who hit that ball?" It was a great feeling. Walked around with my chest puffed up, feeling good about myself, the whole next day.
Scientists call the "sweet spot" on a baseball bat the "center of percussion." That's physicists talk for "the point where the ball's impact causes the smallest shock to your hands. If you hit the ball closer to the bats handle than to the center of percussion (sweet spot) you'll feel a slight force pushing the handle back into the palm of your top hand. If you hit the ball farther up on the bat than the sweet spot you'll feel a slight push to your fingers in the opposite direction, trying to open up your grip. But, if you hit the ball right on the "sweet spot" you won't feel any force on the handle." (http://www.exploratorium.edu/)
Actually all this makes sense in life as well. If we find the sweet spot in any thing we do success is more likely. Finding the sweet spot means seeking out the very best...not settling for anything less. Often the sweet spot is not easy to find. It takes experimentation, patience and awareness in your efforts to find a better way to do something. Sometimes compromise is required.
Usually the sweet spot is in that "gray" area that Pastor Adam Hamilton talks about in his book "Seeing Gray in a Black and White World." The sweet spot is seldom found in the extremes...the black or the white...but most often the best solution is somewhere in between. That's where the sweet spot is.
As Christians we often struggle to know what the right thing to do is. It is not always clearly delineated. It's fine to read the Bible and pray and that's what we should do. But, at times there is still a fuzziness out there and we can't get a handle on the best solution because there are so many factors involved.
There could be many reasons for this. Maybe there are distractions that are keeping us from focusing when we read the Word or in our prayers. The enemy is a master at distraction. Maybe God isn't ready to have us discover the solution until we do some more research, pray some more, look at other options. We may need to grow a little more, learn some additional things before we are ready to execute this portion of God's plan.
Sometimes finding the sweet spot will involve another person. God may be sending someone to us who can clarify our decision, but maybe that person isn't ready yet. Maybe he or she has some growing to do. But, it is important to keep searching, asking and being confident that God will reveal the sweet spot to you when the timing is right. Hamilton says: "When we can hold together, in tension, the call to freedom that comes by grace and the call to holiness in seeking to live by the Spirit, we find the sweet spot─the perfect balance between grace and holiness─that allows our faith to soar.'
There is a certain rewarding, confidence-building result that ensues when you have found the sweet spot. It's a hard-to-describe great feeling. When you say just the right word or do just the right thing at the right time to help someone you've hit the sweet spot. When you take the right approach in your sales presentation and the customer confirms it by buying your product or service you are right on the sweet spot. If you write the right paragraph or sentence or even chapter at the proper time create a valuable long or short term reference for others you've found the sweet spot.
Zig Ziglar says he is convinced, "You can get anything you want in life, if you first help others get what they want." Jesus said: "Love God first. Then, Love your neighbor as yourself." That's the quickest way to find the sweet spot. Look for it in terms of others instead of yourself. Martin Luther King Jr. said when we are deciding whether we should get involved in helping someone else or not we should not ask: "What will happen to me if I help." King said to ask, "What will happen to them if I don't?"
That's the way to find the sweet spot.
Prayer: Lord, in a world that is seldom all sweetness and light, help us to dispel the darkness by seeking to find the "sweet spot" in the way we conduct our lives.   Amen!
***Author's note: Have a "sweet" week. One in which those "sweet spots" are clearly evident in the things you do.

The Lost Art of Listening ( January 21, 2009) by Jim Crosby
You must understand this, my beloved; let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak.
                                                                                                James 1:19
Our church, Good Samaritan UMC has recently begun a 5-week study based on Adam Hamilton"s (Church of the Resurrection, Kansas) book: "Seeing Gray in a Black and White World." In the second week of the sermon series, video and home group discussions one of the assigned chapters was a particularly meaningful one (Number Six, pg 43.) called: "Shhh! Just Listen!"
Pastor Hamilton frankly admits: "One of the struggles I face is simply to listen."Say what? I thought that was just part of the job of a pastor...to listen to the problems of other people. Well, it is, but as Adam says pastors tend to be "people of strong convictions." Of course, when you have strong feelings about a subject it is just natural to want to jump in and voice your opinion.
Ever been involved in a conversation with a "butinski?" That's what I call them─a person who continually "buts in" or interrupts what you are saying to interject their thoughts or to correct what you are saying or even worse yet, to change the subject while you are in mid-sentence. Boy, that can be annoying.
Or maybe you are engaged in a conversation and you do solicit an opinion and the "season changes" before you get to talk again. Don't know if that person comes away from the conversation feeling fulfilled, but you certainly don't.
In Hamiliton's study he is trying to encourage people to find a "gray" area, i.e. a middle ground...one of compromise and understanding in dealing with the issues of today. He points out that people who call themselves "liberal" when they hear a "conservative" person talk or read or hear an idea that is clearly conservative in its take on things, then they are automatically in the other camp. Have you known people like that, especially in politics? There is one politician I've observed over the years, who is a flagrant violator of the "seeing gray" principle. You can almost always tell where he is coming from based, not on whether the idea was a good one or not, bur more on whether it was conservative or liberal, or by which political party the person proposing the idea was a member of.
Now, in this second week of Hamilton's study the topic was: "Christ, Christians, and the Culture Wars." He said, "One of the reasons for today's culture wars is the unwillingness of people on either the left or the right to listen to those with whom they disagree. They are quick to speak, and quick to anger, but slow to listen."
In today's scripture lesson from James...the earthly brother of Jesus advices us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak" and equally as important "slow to get angry." Reading that same scripture lesson from James in The Message Bible, which puts things in contemporary, easy-to-understand and often blunt terms, hear is how it reads: "Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life." Pretty strong stuff, but I like it, so let's read on for a few paragraphs:
"Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like." Okay, so maybe the last part was unnecessary and takes us a little off of our main point, but I think it was good information and instruction.
It stresses the importance of assuming a listening mode and even biting your tongue if you have to in order to let the other person get his or her thoughts out. I know there are times when the Lovely Susette is exasperated, complelely frustrated, even angry and wants to talk about something. Most of the time she is a remarkably even-tempered, steady and not easily angered person. So, when she brings something to my attention that has really gotten under her skin that should be a warning to me. The antennae should go up and my mouth should close. She just wants to talk. She needs to vent.   Wants to get it out of her system. If allowed to do that she'll get over it quicker and be fine.
But, being Mr. Fixit, like most men are, soon after she starts talking I come up with a solution and jump right in with my analysis and opinion. That is exactly what she is not looking for and just prolongs the getting-over-it process.
Looking at the commentary for this same verse of scripture (James 1:19) in the NLT we read (pg 1986): "When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Put a mental stopwatch on your conversations and keep track of how much you talk and how much you listen. When people talk with you, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value?"
Adam Hamilton, in stressing the importance of being a good listener, points out that when he finds that there are a lot of people with opinions and support for an issue that it really bears listening to, no matter what your immediate inclination is. He says there are rarely that many "idiots" on that one particular side. So, it bears listening to in order to discern if there is a "gray" area that can contribute to a better solution.
Proverbs 12:15 says: "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice." Hamilton adds to that: "In a country polarized between the left and the right, and a world that is plagued by terrorism, violence, and war, hope is not found in people on both sides shouting their views louder, but in people learning to listen, and actually hear, what others are saying."
So, this week...Listen up! Your perspective may change or your viewpoint may be strengthened. Either way the person you are listening to will feel that you care and they will welcome your respect and your attention. It may take some extra time, but in the long run it is a win-win situation.
Monday Prayer: Lord help us to be better listeners! Amen!
Authors note: Be a good listener this week and see how it changes your world. I wish you well, my friend.

A Boxing Lesson (January 14, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.     Job 22:21
Why is it a continual battle...this idea of turning everything over to God? Maybe you are thinking: "What's he talking about, I don't have any trouble turning things over to God." Well, with all due respect I'd say it might be a good idea for you to rethink and analyze that thought. I just don't think that any of us turn everything over to God. Should we? Yes! Do we? No!
Now I'm not trying to be a troublemaker. I don't want to stir up any uneasiness between you and your Heavenly Father. The fact is that He still loves us whether we turn everything over to Him or not. So if that's the case why should we strive to turn things over to Him?
Well, in the first place maybe I should be asking Why Not? instead of Why? I think that sometimes we don't think about turning some of our ideas or activities over to Him. Sure, when we have troubles we remember to do it, but if everything seems to be okay we might forget to do it or deem it unnecessary. Everything's going OK. Why bother God with it?
And then there are the things we hold on to and don't submit to Him because...well, we have an idea what His answer is going to be and we are not sure we like it. Selfishly we are clinging to an opinion, a practice, a way of believing and doing in a situation that we like, but subconsciously we feel ain't right. It may be an addiction or it might just be something that is pleasurable.
Okay, have I, as the old saying goes: "Stopped preaching and gone to meddling?" I don't mean to─preach or meddle. It's just that I get these topic ideas from time to time and many of these are things I personally struggle with so I share them with you in hopes that we can work through them.
So, let me just pass on this one bit of wisdom that we should all remember. "Your arms are too short to box with God." Heard that statement before? It's the title of a Broadway musical by the same name that is based on the book of Matthew. The stage play first hit Broadway in 1976 then was revived in 1980 and 1982. It was directed by Vinnette Carroll who, with this musical, became the first African-American woman to direct for Broadway theatre.
The opening lines read:    Now if man's the son of God
                                            and God's son, the Son of man
                                         That means we're walking hand in hand
                                          Is that so hard to understand?

As Christians that is one of the first things we acknowledge... that Jesus is the Son of God. We also find, throughout scripture that He often and I believe fondly, refers to Himself as Son of Man. What that says to me is He has "been there, done that." Well, maybe he didn't do some of the dumb things I've done, but He had temptations to overcome, too. The fact that He did have these, is good reason to put faith in the solutions he reveals to us when we trust and as the song says: "walk hand in hand." He spent a lot of time in prayer for guidance, which sets an example for us.

Still we have this propensity for handling matters ourselves. When we do that we sometimes come in direct confrontation with God. We may not see it that way, but if we are barging ahead and taking a wrong path we are boxing with God.

In his book "The Purpose of Christmas" Rick Warren states it a little more boldly as to why sparring with God just isn't smart. "How can you, an imperfect person, be reconciled to a perfect God? Well, it's not a matter of compromise or bargaining or negotiating with God. Peace comes from surrender. You admit that God is God and you are not! You give up the ridiculous notion that you know more about what's best for you and what will make you happy than your Creator does. You give up the rebellious attitude that you can pick and choose which of God's rules you'll follow and which ones you'll ignore."

Gosh, Rick, why don't you tell us how you really feel? Don't pull any punches or spare us...just lets us have the full blast. J Even though that was strongly worded and we might not see it that way there's a lot of truth to it. Sometimes we just try to gloss things over and we just say "well, I'm a good person. I try to do the right things. Look all those other folks out there doing bad things. What I'm doing isn't so bad compared to them."

You know what. That's probably true. You are not a bad person and you try to do the right things. At least that's how I look at myself. But, if we are honest we just have to admit that we can do better and there are areas in which we are not fully in sync with God's plan for us.

Our scripture lesson from Job 22:21 says if we submit to God and are at peace with him prosperity will come our way. Wow, that's reason enough right there to turn our will over to God. But, what kind of prosperity is the writer of Job, who is unknown by the way, referring to.

The Quest Study Bible commentary asks: "Can we become prosperous by following God?" The QSB answer is: "Yes, we can become spiritually prosperous, but not necessarily materially wealthy." Notice the qualifying words "not necessarily." It doesn't say that God won't grant you material wealth. That may come. It depends on His plan. That kind of wealth could be a part of His plan. Maybe there are steps that you and I need to take to get our house in order first before that part of the plan unfolds. But, He will grant you spiritual prosperity as a reward for submitting to Him and lots of good things come from that, things that can lead to success in many areas of your life among which could be material, as well as these spiritual rewards. The boxing lesson we learn is a life lesson that teaches us thatit's all about trust and having faith.

The song in the Broadway musical draws the same conclusion we should:
                        Because to claim to understand Him
                        Is nothing more than a façade
                        For the wisest men have known
                       Your arm's too short to box with God.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we don't look at the things that we do without your approval as boxing with you. We ask for Your patience and understanding as we learn these life lessons and use them in Your Kingdom.   Amen!
***Author's note: It's great to know we don't have to be a Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano or Muhammed Ali to win in life. Our boxing matches are not with God, but with the Enemy and we have the Heavyweight Champion on our side.





The Muck and Mire Park (January 7, 2009) by Jim Crosby

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.       Psalm 118:24
The oversized envelope is beginning to show signs of wear. We could replace it, but since it is still serviceable and because of the memories contained within there is no need to. It is the one that the Lovely Susette and I drag out of it's place of top priority in our files each New Year's Day. We have it situated right in the front of the see-through top drawer of the file cabinet in our office. Even though it is only hauled out once a year it is visible every day if we glance at that drawer of the cabinet. It stays there so that on the first morning of the New Year we don't have to do an exhaustive search to find it.
On the front of the envelope it reads: "Do not open ‘til..." Then it says: 1-1-06, but the '06 has a diagonal line through it and next to it is an '07 which is lined through as well. Then comes a canceled out '08, now followed by a marked through '09. The only numbers not struck through are 1-1-10. That's the next time this envelope will be brought out.
If you open the envelope you will find smaller envelopes inside dating back to 2004 (only started striking out the year on the front of the big one starting in 2006). On the front of each small envelope is written "To be read on -----" and the new day is listed. Inside each of the envelopes are two letters. One says "To be Read to Jim on Jan 1, 2010 or whatever year is appropriate. That's the letter that the Lovely Susette wrote on Jan. 1, 2009 and will read to me on next New Year's Day. The other letter is the one I wrote and will read to her.
So, what's in these letters? Are they love letters? Well, sort of! They actually are after-the-fact re-countings of what we think, hope and dream will happen in the upcoming year. They are written as if they have already happened and of course some end up being on target and some don't come true that year at all. Then there are lots of other things that the Good Lord sends our way that we never dreamed would happen.
So, this New Year's morning Susette read to me the letter she wrote one year ago with all the confident expectations she had for the year while writing as if these things had already happened. Some of them did and some didn't. Then, I read to her my projections for the year as if they had already unfolded even though it was Day One of 2008. It's fun to compare the expectations with the realization.
In Mark 11:24 we read: "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." So, that's what the Lovely Susette and I are doing. We are asking and writing it down just as if we have already received these things and frequently we do receive them.
So, I guess you are wondering what all this has to do with the Muck and Mire Park. For some strange reason as I thought about the year ahead and reviewed in my mind the hopeful optimism with which we naturally greet each New Year a vision of the Muck and Mire park entered my mind. There is a certain brightness about a new year that dispels any potentional for despair. But, often we have to go through some things that aren't appealing to get to those gifts of beauty.
When our boys were little and we lived in South Florida I used to pick up their grandparents and we would all go to the Muck and Mire Park. That was our name for it. Don't even remember its real name. But, the reason we called it that is because to enter this park you had to walk over this long and winding boardwalk which went over, well, a lot of muck-and-mire. The water was really black and yucky looking. There were a bunch of Cypress trees standing in this dark, unappealing, swampy looking water. I don't even think alligators or snakes would frequent that water.
So, we would just keep on walking on that long, winding boardwalk until suddenly it came to an end. And there would be the prettiest little park. The always green grass (grass doesn't turn brown in the winter in South Florida) was in stark contrast to the ugly blackness you had just passed over. If you persevered and kept going you would be rewarded with a nice place for a picnic, ball game or leisurely strolling. Flowers and interesting looking plants grew there. It was a true delight to experience.
I guess on this New Year Day I thought about that because as we read our hopeful letters from the year before even though we saw great evidence of God's blessings, but as everybody did, we also went through some tough times. We had moments of despair, confusion, uncertainty even depression. These were the muck and mire times. But, when we weighed the bounty of our blessings against these, as always we were astounded at how God had worked in our lives sometimes despite our inadvertent efforts to derail His plans. We saw how negligent we can be to realize where these blessings are coming from and to give proper thanks. Once again He had brought us through the muck and mire to a place of beauty.
Psalm 118:24 advises us to greet each day by acknowledging that it is a day the Lord has made and to determine to give thanks and enjoy it. This is a good strategy in those muck and mire times, even though it is tougher to do on those days. The NLT Bible acknowledges this: "There are days when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. Our mood is down, our situation is out of hand, and our sorrow or guilt is overwhelming."   These muck and mire times are the best times to rejoice and praise God because we know He has better things in store for us." NLT continues "When you don't feel like rejoicing, tell God how you truly feel. You will find that God will give you a reason to rejoice.
Although the Lovely One and I probably both avoided projecting any of those muck and mire experiences in our letters for 2009 when those kinds of experiences inevitably occur we can think about that little green park ahead and anticipate the blessings God has in store for us. Then, January 1, 2010 will be another great day of celebration.
By the way, Susette says her letter for the year is only 2 pages long? Hmm! Wonder what that means? My letter runs 5 pages. Guess that means The Lord has 7 pages of blessings for us!   It could happen! Happy New Year!
Prayer: Lord we pray for your favor in our lives in 2009. When the muck and mire situations threaten to engulf us help us to remember the beautiful green park experiences you have waiting for us. Amen!
*** Author's note: Hope your New Year gets off to a great start and gets even greater as the year progresses. :)





Heart Matters (December 31, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.        Matthew 5:8
I guess this is the time of year, in writing devotions, that you could refer to as a "tweener." It's in between Christmas and the New Year's holiday. Warm memories of Christmas linger in our minds, while the cold reality that we have to move ahead starts to creep into our thinking. So, what to do in creating a timely devotional topic for this week is the dilemma I faced today. Should I hang onto those heart warming feelings that Christmas brings about, or do we just need to let go and charge into the future?
How about doing both? Maybe in beginning to plan and execute a strategy for the coming days we could preserve the warmth and love of Christmas and use it to change our approach in future endeavors. The way to do this is to lead our heart instead of letting it lead us. If our heart is filled with the love and joy of Christmas it can lead us to do meaningful and fulfilling things capable of transforming all aspects of living.
As the Lovely Susette and I were reading the "Love Dare" by the Kendrick brothers (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville) which is based on the movie "Fireproof" we came across a chapter (14) entitled: "Love takes Delight." This book continues to impact our lives. Each chapter ends with a "dare" and we've found that by taking these seriously we just think about each other's needs and wants in a different way. This also spills over into the way we view other relationships, even with people who only come into our lives for a season.
But, the way Day 14 begins is" "One of the most important things you should learn on your Love Dare journey is that you should not just follow your heart. You should lead it. You don't let your feelings and emotions do the driving. You put them in the back seat and tell them where you are going."
In doing this we make a conscious effort to take control of our heart which can be deceitful, when given full reign, and lead us down a path we don't want to travel and might regret in the future. I speak from experience on that matter. I'm sure we all can think of times when our heart deceived us. We did something foolish. We wish we hadn't and would like to take it back, but we can't. That's why it is important to take control of the heart. To lead it and in so doing traverse the trails in our journey that ultimately lead to the right place.
How important is the heart's role in our lives? Important enough that the Bible refers to the heart in over 900 scriptures. These references begin with Genesis 6:5 and are interspersed throughout the Bible ending with Revelation 18:7 (NIV).
In researching these Biblical heart matters and trying to come up with a summary of what the divinely inspired writers of scripture were trying to get across as the central ideas I came across the following.(http://www.biblequestions.org/)   It made sense so I pass these along: "The Bible heart consists of four elements if you will:
            1) The heart has emotion (John 14:1; Matt; 5:28)
            2) The heart has will or volition (Exodus 35:5)
            3) The heart has intellect (John 12:40; Romans 1:21)
            4) The heart has conscience (Acts 2:37)"
Obviously with those important aspects attributed to the heart, if you control and lead your heart in the way that is best in your life, you will be much better off every area.
Nelson's Bible Dictionary makes these important distinctions: "heart: the inner self that thinks, feels and decides. In the Bible the word "heart" has a much broader meaning than it does to the modern mind. The heart is that which is central to a person...The thinking processes are said to be carried out by the heart. This intellectual activity corresponds to what would be called the "mind" in Englsh."
Nelson's goes on to say that the heart thinks, understands, is wise, imagines, and speaks to itself. Decision-making is carried out by the heart. It also says, "heart often means someone's true character or personality. Purity or evil; sincerity or hardness; maturity or rebelliousness" reveal this.
The heart is used in our everyday language to describe people. Someone may be said to be hard-hearted. Or warm hearted. Or he or she could have a "big heart."
We engage in "heart-felt" actions. Have "affairs of the heart." Reveal "confessions of the heart." We "speak from the heart."
Physically we can have; "heart attacks;" be attached to a "heart monitor;"
We exercise to get our "heart rate up;" require a heart pacemaker;" or a more drastic measure need a "heart transplant."
When a person's "heart is in the right place" as we often hear it said then that person is leading his or her heart. The person who leads the heart is engaging in the mental aspects of the heart. They are taking positive action to control feelings, interpretations and opinions and channel activities in a positive manner. Conversely, if we are led by our heart, with its susceptibility to the pleasures and easy-way-out mentality of society, we are not likely to take the higher road. We may be led into the entanglements, briars, thorns, mud-holes and despair of misguided perceptions. Jeremiah 17:9 points out: "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Reading in verse 10 "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct according to what his deeds deserve."
Matthew 22:7 says that the most important duty of anyone is to first "love God with the whole heart." Since God is love, when we obey that scripture it is certain that we will lead our hearts in the right direction.
And God will provide the help we need. Jeremiah 29:13-14 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you."
In determining how you want your life to go from the warmth of the Christmas Experience right on through the New Year until Christmas comes again you must make sure that you are leading the heart in the right way and not being led by it in unfruitful ways.
Happy New Year!
Prayer: Lord fill our hearts with your love so that we may lead our hearts in meaningful ways in the coming days. Amen!
Author's note: As we embark on an exciting New Year I wish you heart-felt hopes for great success in all areas of your life in 2009.


Perfect Timing (December 24, 2008) by Jim Crosby

About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire...Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée who was pregnant.           Luke 2: 1-5 (The Message)
Has something really good ever happened in your life and caused you to think, "Wow, that was perfect timing!" It just seemed that all the things that had to come about for this joyful event to occur just happened to do so at the right moment in time. It was truly a case of perfect timing.
Those times, when perfectly timed events take place in our lives, are probably more frequent than we realize. But, they don't really happen by accident even though we sometimes just feel like we got lucky. Yes, it is our good fortune that they happen. But, with God there is no such thing as coincidence. He has a plan.
Sure, sometimes He has to take us on an alternate route because of circumstances created by the choices we make. But, he is never fooled. He can't be tricked or surprised. God never has to put us on hold until He figures out a solution. Sometimes a delayed answer is the best answer and it is during these times we may feel God isn't working. Did he take the day off? Is he on vacation?
Maybe, we just didn't get the message. Maybe we were looking in all the wrong places for the wrong kind of solution. I'm sure you have heard the old saying "God works in mysterious ways." Duh! Why wouldn't He? What kind of a God would He be if the things He did were so predictable we always knew what was going to happen.
From reading scripture we can see many occasions where people were surprised by God. Sometimes things that had been prophesied, predicted and long-awaited finally took place and because the people had envisioned a different outcome they missed it altogether.
Sometime, between 740 and 710 BC, the Prophet Micah had prophesied that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). So, anybody who studied the ancient texts would have known where God planned for His Son, the Savior of the World, to be born. But, when? That was the other side of the coin. It would take a lot of faith, believing, and patience. Many of the faithful would not see this happen in their lifetime. Many of the later believers would come along after it happened and they too would have to take on faith that what they read in the eye-witness accounts of the apostles was true.
And then there were those who were right there when that miraculous birth took place and still missed it's significance. But, it was right there in God's plan. He would use the decree of an emperor to execute the plan for the King to be born in His own perfect timing.
You see when Caesar Augustus made the decree that a census was to be taken in King Herod's territory he thought he was doing it for taxation and military conscription purposes. God knew different. Proverbs 21:1 says: "The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he turns it wherever he pleases."
The NLT Bible (Pg 1541) says: "Augustus' decree went out in God's perfect timing and according to God's perfect plan to bring his Son into the world." Why was that the perfect time for Jesus to be born? It occurred centuries after it had been foretold in ancient writings. The people had looked forward to the grand event. It occurred centuries before contemporary believers were born and we now look back on the memorable occasion. I have no idea and neither does anyone else know why God selected that place and that time for this event.
What we do know today is that every time a person puts up a Christmas tree and gives gifts, it basically, whether they acknowledge it or not, is in celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, who was God's gift to man.
Think about it. In God's plan this most special baby was born in a smelly-old stable. His crib was a manger which Webster says is "a box or trough to hold fodder for horses or cattle to eat." From the moment He was born people began to plot his death. Herod killed a bunch of male babies trying to be sure the one born to be "King of the Jews" would not survive. But, he did.
Then as Jesus grew to manhood there were always those who were skeptics, who were jealous and who hated him. They finally got him. The cruel public humiliation and crucifixion enabled these enemies to foolishly think, "We got him. It's over."
That was some plan God had for his son, huh! It played out in a time when there was much less knowledge and sophistication than we have today. But, gosh couldn't God have chosen to do this another way? Perhaps at another time and in a different place? Yes, He could have, but He didn't. Why? I don't know.
But, I do know this. There are more pages in more books in more places in the world written about Jesus than any other person who ever lived. The Bible is a mega-mega-mega Bestseller. No other book even comes close.
So, there must be something about the time, the place and the person that made it the perfect time for God to schedule the birth of the Christ child.
What that says to us is that God's master plan for our lives may not always make sense to us. But, when circumstances threaten to beat us down and defeat us we can look at the lowly place and less than ideal situation into which Jesus was born. Look at the hard times he endured as an example for us.
Then remember the basis for all of it was Love. God's love for you and me is exemplified by that Baby in the manager. We have in common with Him, the fact that we are here at this time and go through the positive and negative things in life because they fit God's perfect timing.
Merry Christmas. God Bless You and Keep You!
Prayer: Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you for loving us deeply, fully and making our lives complete through your humble birth and spotless life. Amen!
***Author's note: My wish is that this will be one of the all-time greatest Christmases ever for you and those you love.



The Gift (December 17, 2008) by Jim Crosby

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.       Luke 1:31-32
Last Monday night the Lovely Susette and I completed a 13-week course at our church called Financial Peace University, the creation of radio host Dave Ramsey. Many of you have taken the course or heard him on his daily nationwide radio show.
Each week Dave, in an hour long video, tackled the financial problems of the world giving each student commonsense solutions to money situations and a sound plan for savings and a secure future. Basically, his gift to us was a tried and tested way to be good stewards of the resources that God has graciously blessed us with.
All through the course our instructors had informed us that the last class would be special. They said it would be one we would not soon forget. They were right!
Looking ahead I had noticed that the title of the final video and corresponding chapter in our workbook was: The Great Misunderstanding. I wondered what thorny, financial dilemma, Dave would tackle in this one. Would he belittle Credit Card companies; say people were foolish to take out long term mortgages; or further dispel myths in the financial arena?
As it turned out the answer to my question was none of the above. Dave said that the paradox of the Great Misunderstanding "is the mistaken belief that the way to have more is to hold on tightly" to what we have. He said the opposite is true. The way to have more is not to hold your money in a tightly, clenched fist. Instead, by opening your hand, the one with the money in it, and giving generously you become ...and this is a direct quote from his Financial Peace University Workbook: "Giving moves you to become less selfish and less selfish people have more of a tendency to prosper in relationships and in wealth." What Dave had chosen to do in summing up all the other lessons was to give each of us a gift. He gave us the gift of giving.
It was especially appropriate and well-timed that our final class came just before Christmas. Because it is at this time that we come to understand what a miraculous gift God gave to us. He gave us His Son.
In our scripture lesson from the 1^st chapter of Luke today we read about the gift announcement God sent to Mary. He called on an angel to deliver the news first-hand. This gift was so special that God didn't just send any old ordinary angel, if there is such a thing. He sent Gabriel.
According to Billy Graham, in his 1975 book, Angels: God's Secret Agents─ still the best book I've read about angels─Gabriel in Hebrew means: "God's Hero," or it also means "God is great." Gabriel is God's messenger. When he appears a person should get ready for some very important news. But, as Graham says, "Gabriel is primarily God's messenger of mercy and promise."   Everybody loves good news and that's what Gabriel brings. He puts you on notice that God has something great in store for you.
Now, not understanding who Gabriel was and that he appears four times in the Bible, Mary was naturally afraid when he suddenly appeared to her. "But Gabriel said: "Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God." Wow, that in itself is a gift. Something we all want; to find favor with God.
But, there was a much greater gift in store for Mary. She had been chosen by God to be the one who would give His greatest gift to the world. Gabriel told her she would have a son and God wanted her to name him Jesus because not only will he be a great success by ruling over "the House of Jacob forever;" but His Kingdom would never end."
How is that for a gift? We all want our children to be successful. Each child is a gift from God. Okay, some are greater gifts than others, but ultimately each one is God's gift to us.
But, as Dave Ramsey said, we don't own the money God gives us. In fact, he said God owns it all and we are caretakers of it. If we doubt that and start thinking it's mine and holding it tightly in that clenched fist, God could decide to take it all and go zap! There would be nothing left of us but a grease spot. Good thing He is a God of mercy, isn't it?
God generously gave Mary a gift that she could share with the world. This baby would be God's most amazing gift. So important that over 2,000 years later our lives are still being impacted by this gift. That Baby brings us hope and a fuller understanding of what Love really is all about.
As the Lovely Susette and I drove home from the final FPU class we were talking about what a timely blessing it was to us, coming at a time when the entire economy is struggling. God planned for us to learn some valuable financial lessons during lean economic times.
Then, I stopped to think how that the gifts received from us during difficult times are even more appreciated than in times of plenty. That makes gift-giving an even more treasured pursuit. There are three special gifts I have received this year that I want to share with you in hopes that will be a blessing to you as well.
The Lord has given me these and to tell you about, so they are available to you. I'm including a website with each so you can learn more:
The first is the Financial Peace University class I've referred to. It could be that a church near you will hold one soon or you could send off for his materials at http://www.daveramsey.com/.
My second gift was the book The Shack. I'm re-reading and studying it and it has opened and enlarged my thinking about God and especially the Trinity work in people's lives. http://www.theshackbook.com/.
The third is "The Love Dare" a devotional book featured in the movie "Fireproof." This book will help you take a good look at your life especially within the context of your marriage. http://www.lovedarebook.com/.
Consider those references as my gifts to you this Christmas. I hope you receive the same blessing from them that Susette and I have. They could be life changing.
In closing, here is a salient point that FPU makes: "Giving makes us more
Christ-like; a spiritually mature Christian gives." Then, Dave Ramsey summed up what financial peace really is, he said, "Financial Peace is when the Great Misunderstanding is understood."
Happy giving this Christmas!
Prayer: Lord, your Word tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive. May we experience the gift of giving gifts first hand this Christmas. Amen!
Authors note: I hope today's devotion will make your shopping more joyous and less of a chore this Christmas.

Somewhere Out There (December 10, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose and we have come to worship him. Matthew 2: 1-2
The three wise men had another one of those frustrating days. During daylighthours, once again as they had done for many months now, they searched the ancient scrolls meticulously trying not to miss any hint of a prophecy telling when and where the King of the Jews would be born. They felt it would be soon, but they could find no clue that would detail the time and place.
Then as sunset passed and the dark of night descended, they searched the stars. Starting in the west moving across to the east they looked at each individual star stopping to analyze its size and brightness to determine if this could be the one. Looking for that special star to start them on a journey that would be recorded on all the future scrolls.
Finally, tiring and disappointed again, they decided to call it a night. Balthazar said, "Before we turn in want to catch a movie?"
"Sure, I'll choose, "said Gaspar, heading for the DVD collection next to the maps on the workroom shelf,"
"Oh boy, we know what this one is going to be," said Melchior. "He picks "A Jerusalem Tale" everytime. Loves that little mouse, Fievel."
They settled back and once again little Fievel gets separated from his loved ones. Lost and lonely he begins to sing... "Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight. Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight. Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer that we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there."
"Wait a minute. Stop the movie," shouted Melchior.
"Aw Melky...why?"
"I have this feeling. Let's get back to work."
So, they went outside and began to scan the heavens. "Look! Look! There it is.
The bright one. That's it," said Balthazar looking to the east. That star is the sign we have been looking for." They were so excited. More like little kids than revered scholars, they began to jump up and down and to high-five each other.
"Look," said Gaspar. "It's beginning to move. Grab the gifts, I'll round up the camels. Let's get on the road, baby. Somewhere out there we are going to find the King."
Okay, so maybe the story doesn't read just like that in your Bible. But, there was reason for great excitement among these staid old, single-minded astrologers. They knew that the words of the prophets were now going to come true. All their studying, pondering, believing and patiently waiting had paid off.
These men had a strong belief system. They had faith and now God was going to reward that faith. They were about to play a major role in history.
How about your belief system? Have you remained patient and confident despite all the setbacks and false trails you've gone down. Somewhere out there is the answer to your dreams. Ultimately your belief in the truth of this Christmas story will be rewarded.
By keeping the faith and trusting in the Word as you celebrate Christmas 2009 you will ultimately know the greatest happiness. But, God has happiness in store for you now...somewhere out there.
After I saw the movie "An American Tale" and heard little Fievel sing that Academy Award nominated song, it stayed with me for days. It would often pop into my head when least expected. It just reinforced my feeling that somewhere out there, one day I would find─ The Lovely Susette because as Fievel sang: "Somewhere out there if love can see us through, then we will be together, somewhere out there, out where dreams come true." And in the most expected manner that dream came true.
You're probably saying, "Oh brother, what a sappy guy. Is that corny or what?"Okay, I don't apologize for being sentimental at Christmas time. Especially if I get a little nostalgic over memories from Christmases past. The manager scene has always been among our Christmas decorations at home. My family reads the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke on December 25^th. We've acted in plays based on it and participated in the Living Christmas Story at church. Christmas is a very important part of my life...not because I get lots of presents, because we got one big present a long time ago.
God decided to give us a gift for all time. He became human through His Son being born in that manager. Thus, our world was forever changed. We can see him and talk to him through this baby who grew up and died for us.
In faith, the wise men started on a journey and they came to their destination. They achieved their goal because they never gave up. The endless months of waiting and watching paid off. Their dream came true and somewhere out that they found the Messiah.
I wonder if months from now when the bright colored lights are put away and the tinsel has been taken down, if this story will dim and we'll forget until next year the promise that somewhere out there, when the times is right, we will see that baby, too. He is all grown up now and went back to heaven a long time ago. But, as the wise men discovered he is out there.
As Fievel sang, "And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star."
Over 2000 years later we are wishing on and following the same bright star that rewarded the faith of the Wise Men.
Prayer: Thank you Father for sending your Son to be born in that lowly manger. Thank you for the story of the Wise Men and how their faith and patience was rewarded. We pray for that kind of devotion and confidence as we celebrate Christmas 2008. Amen!
***Author's note: Enjoy every day leading up to Christmas day as each one is a special gift from the Father.

The Walk (December 3, 2008) by Jim Crosby

But, you Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah 5:2
The Lovely Susette and I are doing something a little different during this Christmas Season. We're walking to Bethlehem. We are going to try to capture the feeling and gain an understanding, as well as we can, what it was like for Mary and Joseph to travel that 80 miles from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem. They had to take the journey because of the census the Roman Government, under King Herod, had declared everyone must participate in.
Naturally Susette asked: "Do I get a donkey to ride on like Mary did?" I answered: "Only if you are pregnant like Mary was." That put an end to that line of questioning.
But, we do have a handicap that Mary and Joseph didn't have...Sandy! Yep, on our walks we have to take Sandy with us. He's an 8-year old dog, sandy-colored lab who is part blue tick hound. Some people think he looks like a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Okay. Possibly. All we know is that he is an impossibly hard-headed dog who wants to do things his way. Whenever we take him on a walk he slows us down because has to "mark" a bunch of spots, sniff every tree and bush and also wants to play with every dog he sees. So, it might take us a little longer to get to Bethlehem than normal Sandy-less folks.
By now you have probably figured out that we've gotten involved in a little church exercise program consisting of a seasonal Bible study and walking program. It is really a Pre-Advent-to-Epiphany walking program that covers the same distance Mary and Joseph had to walk to get to Bethlehem from Nazareth. The program began the week of November 17th and should be completed by the end of the first week in January.
Each week there is a scripture lesson to read before you start the week of walking. Then you are supposed to think about that scripture and try to imagine what it was like for Mary and Joseph on their little journey. They not only had to go to Bethlehem because of the census, but the prophets also had foretold the place where the Messiah would be born.
Micah 5 2-3 (which is actually the scripture associated with this week?the third week in the Walking with Jesus Program) says this in The Message: "But, you Bethlehem, David's country, the runt of the litter?From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel, He'll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, And the scattered brothers come back home to the family of Israel. He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God's strength, centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home, for the whole world will hold Him in respect?Peacemaker of the world!" They had to accomplish what the prophets said was going to happen or that would have thrown the whole Bible off track.
So, that's why the walk we are taking goes from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a distance of 80 miles. Obviously, if you average 10 miles of walking a week for eight weeks you've got it made. In the first week, Susette and I walked, six miles. So, with some quick and easy calculations you can determine we are behind already. With the holidays coming up and company arriving...oh boy, it's gonna be tough. But, we'll do it. Just hope we don't have to walk 60 miles or so that last week.
But, as we think about that journey that Mary and Joseph took and we consider the whole wonderful birth of the Savior there are lots of things to contemplate whether you are walking to Bethlehem or just thinking about what occurred.
First of all, we read that an average day's journey back then covered about 18 miles. So, if that is true then it would have taken Mary and Joseph about four-and-almost-a-half of a day- to get to Bethlehem.
Susette and talked about this on our first walk. Can you imagine how totally exhausted they must have been when they finally got into town. When you are as far along in a pregnancy as Mary was (Jesus was born that night) it is impossible to get comfortable. And then they had to go from inn to inn to try to find a room.
I remember once we went on a trip without making a motel reservation in one of the towns we would have to stop in. As usual we pushed it to the limit of tiredness before stopping. But, the first motel had no vacancy. Neither did the second or the third. By then, we were totally wiped out we would have settled for a stable. Well, that's the way it played out for Mary and Joseph.
I don't know why, as was our case, they didn't think to have the inn keeper get on the computer and see where the nearest available room was. But, they finally had to settle for a stable and a manger. Of course, we are getting ahead of the story here. But, I don't think I'm spoiling the plot for anyone reading this devotion by revealing the ending.
But, that's what the suggested thing to do in this walking program is. Think about and try to feel what those involved saw experienced and felt on the journey. The Prayer for the journey is: "As we walk together and meditate on Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, on Jesus' birth, the Angels, Shepherds and Wise Men, let us remember God's gift of Love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
It's going to be an interesting journey. It's one we invite you to come along with us on because it requires us to carve out time to do something that is beneficial to our physical health as we walk outside and breathe the fresh air. But, an even greater benefit is that it helps us think about what Christmas is all about as we put ourselves in the sandals of those who lived it. Happy Walking! See you in Bethlehem.
Prayer: Lord, our hearts are warmed and our spirits renewed, as we take the trip to Bethlehem and think about how that marvelous story unfolded. May the spirit of Christmas elevate us to a deeper and more meaningful experience this year. Amen!
***Author's note: I hope you enjoy the Holidays to the fullest extent this year as you contemplate the true significance of this wonderful time of year.


A Case of the Have-To’s (November 19, 2008) by Jim Crosby

But seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Have you ever shouted at your microwave oven..."Hurry up?" No? Well, I bet there are times when you felt like it. Gosh, what if you had to turn on an oven and wait on it to warm something up. You might have to wait five minutes for it to heat up instead of twenty seconds. So, what are you going to do with those extra four minutes and forty seconds you gained anyway? Rush out, hop in your car and get caught by three red-lights where you can shout at them to change as you sit there for a minute-plus grinding your teeth.
What's the big rush, Jim...oops, I mean folks? Why is everyone in such a rush? Looking at John Ortberg's book again "When the Game is over it all goes back in the Box" he talks about the squares on a Monopoly game board. But, he points out that we have a board that we play on all the time. This board is full of squares just like a monopoly board has,
Our board is a calendar. It is filled with squares. Each square represents another day. No matter how much we rush around or even if we were to slow ourselves down to a snail's pace we still have to live in the square that represents today.
As I write this it is Friday afternoon...that's much later in the week than I like to work on the weekly devotion. I'm a guy who likes to get things done early. Approaching deadlines drive me nuts if I haven't got a major part of the work done.
So, today I've been doing exactly what I am cautioning you not to do. That's rush around like a madman while trying to get things done. I have a Tuesday deadline for a newspaper article I'm writing and of course this devotion hits the website on Monday.
I know. You're saying wait a minute...Monday is three days away and Tuesday is four. Yeah, but you see this is a football weekend in Tallahassee. So Saturday is game day and on Sunday we go to church. Then it's Monday. So there!. You see what I'm talking about.
I rushed up to my office this morning and got right on the computer. It has been going well. I can feel the tension easing with each sentence as my fingers fly over the key board. But, here's my point. That little square on the calendar representing today is really the only one we can take care of. We can't do anything about tomorrow until it gets here. Yesterday is done. What we can do is make tomorrow a little easier and make what we did yesterday more meaningful by taking care of today.
Part of the problem and one that causes such a hurry-up-and-get-stressed-out attitude is all those "have-tos." Ortberg frequently gives a talk and for props he uses an empty glass jar, a pitcher full of sand, and four tennis balls. The pitcher full of sand represents the have-tos in life. These are the things you are obliged to do. The empty jar represents your life.
You guessed it. He looks at the things we "have" to do and as he rattles them off he starts pouring the "have-to sand" into the empty jar that is your life. Guess what? All those work related tasks, and the personal ones that you waste time doing like sleeping and the household and family chores fill the empty jar...your life...to overflowing. So, how do you take control of that and make changes that allow you to enjoy life? Well, Ortberg takes the four tennis balls and labels them G; P; C; and J. He intends to fit those balls into this jar as well. But, how? It is already full of sand.
Here's what the tennis balls represent. "G" stands for God. Ortberg says "God is not one priority among many. He is THE priority." Oops got to get the "G-ball" in that jar. Okay lets pour all the sand out and start over by placing the "G" ball in there.
The second one---"P"---stands for people. This is important. You have to notice and treasure your wife/husband, children, friends, relatives, etc. "A striking aspect of Jesus' life was the way he could pay attention to whoever he was with."
"C" is for calling. This is what you have been given the talent to do. Ortberg points out when he is not doing what he's called to do and is drifting that calling turns into self-serving.
Finally, "J" is for joy. Jesus wanted His joy to be in us so that our joy might be complete. He wanted real joy for us. Not superficial and momentary things we experience and then are gone just as quickly.
One of the things I have determined to do each day through the rest of the holiday season is to spend some time being joyful. To do that I'm going to think about things of the past that have brought me joy. Not gifts or stuff. But, solid memory-making life experiences. I want to recall times with my Dad. The smells and tastes of the thanksgiving holiday. Sitting around with family telling stories, reminiscing, remembering. Visiting my grandmother's peaceful churchyard grave and remembering.
I'm looking out my window now and see a holly bush. Yes, in Florida. The bright red berries remind me of Christmas. The joy of revisiting that birth in the manager by reading Luke and Matthew. The glow of candles. Jingle bells. Uncle Bing singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas."   Yes, there is joy to be had without rushing around like a crazy person. Those tennis balls need to go into the jar first. Then the other "have-to" grains of sand can fit around them...that's what you'll do today. And the sand that's left over what do we do with that? Well, tomorrow we will have a brand new square on that calendar.
As Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom and the rest will be added to you."
Prayer: Thank you Lord for this lesson that reminds us to first look for the things you have called us to do. Then, we will enjoy all the rest of it without having to rush around to do it. Amen!
***Author's note: Tennis anyone? Think about those tennis balls this week and the things you do will be more rewarding. Have a great week!


It’s That Time Again-(November 26, 2008) by Jim Crosby

For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and bread to eat. In the same way He will give you many opportunities to do good, and He will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. And when you take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out in thanksgiving to God.                                                                                  2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NLT)
Okay, it's that time again. This Thursday, November 27^th is Thanksgiving Day so I guess we've got to pause and say a word of thanks. I mean that's why they call it the Thanksgiving Holiday isn't it? However, we can't take too long to do it or all that turkey and dressing will get cold.
All right, I know I'm being facetious here. That's not the way it really happens. We give thanks more often than that, don't we? But, the fact is we cannot thank the Lord, too often or too much. It is just that the giving-thanks-part-of-our-lives comes into focus more clearly on this holiday. It is a natural thing to stop on Thanksgiving Day and consider how greatly we have been blessed, then pass along our heartfelt thanks to the One who is responsible for all of this.
Being the sentimentalist that I am, I love to revisit the story that we attribute to the beginning of this holiday in America. It's fun to recall how the Pilgrims survived that first year with the harsh weather up in New England and the threat of Indian attacks and finally sat down, with those Indians, to a feast and time of Thanksgiving. Now, I may not be getting this story exactly right, so if any of you out there actually attended and were eye witnesses to this special event, please feel free to correct and substitute any information that you want to.
I do know this. The Pilgrims Governor William Bradford declared November 29, 1623 to be that first official time of Thanksgiving. His declaration started off this way; "In as much as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest..." He ended the first paragraph of this two paragraph declaration with the words..."has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences."
Governor Bradford then went on to invite everyone to a meeting between 9 and 12 o'clock at the meeting house to "listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all his blessings." (http://juntosociety.com/thanksgiving).
One of the neater stories of the Pilgrims adventures was that of an Indian named Squanto. Not Tonto, he would come along later with the Lone Ranger, but Squanto. He was an Abnaki Indian, who was given a referral to the Pilgrims by his friend Samoset. Amazingly both of these Indians spoke English, but Squanto had gone on voyages to Spain and to England where he learned the language.
Squanto was one of the blessings that the Pilgrims should have given thanks for. He taught them how to grow corn, tap maple trees for sap, which plants were poisonous and which ones had medicinal value. (http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/pilgrims.)
So the Pilgrims sure had a lot to be thankful for and they did recognize where there blessings came from and gave praise and thanks accordingly. Did they focus on the fact that it took 65 days to get to America in that drafty old Mayflower? No! Did they bemoan the fact that of the 110 folks who came over only about 50 survived that first harsh winter? Well, I'm sure there was some sadness there, but the survivors gave thanks for still being around to celebrate this first Thanksgiving.
One of the neat things about remembering that first Thanksgiving is to go to a first grade class or a pre-K and see the pictures the little ones have drawn of the Pilgrims and the Indians and the turkeys. I remember doing that as a child. Only problem was, in my drawing, you couldn't tell which ones were the Pilgrims and which were the Turkeys. Grownups when looking at my art work and trying to be nice and encouraging would say. "And is this an Indian over here? That's good Jimmy." My reply. "No mam, that's a tree."   So, much for my art work. Never was very artistically inclined.
Paul talks a little about thanksgiving in 2 Corinthians 9:10. Before he does that he points out that "God loves the person who gives cheerfully." That's not the same as giving because there is this 10% tithing rule or because you feel guilty if you don't give or help out or whatever good thing you are doing. Giving of yourself is one thing. Begrudging the fact that you have to give is another. Which one of those attitudes do you think God appreciates and blesses more?
But, I digress. Back on track. I think Paul is trying to tell us to be thankful that we can give cheerfully. We are to give thanks for the opportunity. It is a blessing. Then, there is going to be a double portion of thanks because the one receives or benefits from your unselfish giving will all be thankful and will give thanks as well.
Giving thanks is very important. To illustrate let me revisit with you a story from Luke chapter 17 about 10 lepers. As Jesus entered a village on the border between Galilee and Samaria there were 10 lepers, at a distance, because they were not allowed to get anywhere near other people because of this disease, and they cried out to Him. "Jesus, Master have mercy on us."
Jesus told them to go to the priests and they would be healed. On the way their leprosy disappeared and they all went joyously along their way. All except one...the Samaritan in the bunch. He ran all the way back and fell at Jesus' feet praising and thanking Him. Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God." Then Jesus told him, "Stand up and go your faith has made you well." All were healed physically, but the one who gave thanks was healed beyond that. His thanksgiving had healed him outside and on the inside as well.
This thanksgiving let's examine our true thankfulness. Is it a one day thing in which we assess the bounty of our blessings and give thanks. Or will this spirit of thanksgiving carry over into every aspect of our lives throughout the year?
This year, in addition to offering up my traditional thanks for the four "F's"---Faith, Food, Family and Football, I want to give thanks to someone else....YOU! For everyone who regularly reads these and even those who are reading one of them for the first time, I say "Thank You" for taking the time to read what the Lord has directed me to write. May you harvest a rich abundance of God's blessing to be thankful for.
Prayer: Lord, as that old Hymn says: "Come ye Thankful People Come" and we do come into your presence with grateful hearts as we praise and thank you for everything. Amen!
***Author's note: Happy Thanksgiving! May your blessings be plenteous and your thankfulness expressed in abundance this year.

Fundamental Attribution Error (November 12, 2008)

Eliphaz: Consider now, who being innocent, has ever perished? Job 4:7
Bildad:   Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Job 8:2-3
Zophar: The mirth of the wicked is brief... In midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him.          Job 20:5,22
Job:  Miserable comforters are you all....I know my Redeemer lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. Job 16:2; 19:25.
Aha! The old fundamental attribution error. It'll nail you every time. Say what?Many of you are scratching your head and asking, "What in the world is he talking about? Has Jim gone off on some kind of a wild tangent?. What does he mean any way?
Perhaps there are some, maybe even more than I realize, who know what a fundamental attribution error is. I might be one of the few who didn't know until I read about it in John Ortberg's book: "When the Game is Over, It all goes back in the Box."
I told the Lovely Susette I was going to write about Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE) and she said, "Okay, go ahead. You can do it." Now, I'm scratching my head? Does that mean that she has known all along what it is and she's just humoring me? That girl is pretty tricky at times. Sometimes she doesn't commit one way or the other, just takes kind of a middle ground, in public, although she already knows, in private, what her opinion or understanding of a subject is.   This time I'm betting she doesn't know and I do. But, that's only because I just read about it.
It's pretty simple, really. Something we are all guilty of at times. It's a kind of an integrity problem. Wait a minute! Hold on! I'm not accusing anyone of lacking integrity. But, I do think we are all guilty of committing a fundamental attribution error at times.
Let's read Ortberg's explanation of what it is. "Another integrity problem we have is called the ‘fundamental attribution error.' It works like this: If something good happens in my life, I tend to explain it by taking credit for it; but if I fail, I tend to explain by blaming circumstances. If I do well on a test it is because I am smart; but if I do poorly it is because I was distracted."
"But, the FAE technique can also serve as a way to explain the behavior of other people as well, hear Ortberg out: "What makes fundamental attribution error even worse is the way we explain the behavior of other people. We tend to explain bad behavior in terms of mitigating circumstances; we tend to explain other people's bad behavior in terms of their character defects."

"If I yell at my child in the grocery store it is because they behaved to an extent that would exhaust the patience of Job. If you yell at your child in the grocery store it is because you are an anger management problem waiting to happen, who should never be granted a parenting license in the first place."
Are you detecting a little pattern here? I'm sure this doesn't apply to you, but read on anyway. Ortberg says. "If I get a speeding ticket, it's because the police needed to fill their quota, so they set up a trap when they should have been out catching criminals. If you get a speeding ticket, it shows what a careless driver you are."
The Bible abounds with cases of fundamental attribution error. Remember Adam's explanation for his disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Eve gave him that forbidden fruit. That's why it happened. Not that he didn't have the right to say "no" or anything like that. His error was attributed to someone else. Eve just happened to be the only "someone else" around at the moment.
And then there is the case of poor old Job. He was trying to do the right thing, but God permitted Satan to attack him anyway. Actually it was a vote of confidence on God's part because he was certain that Job would withstand the bombardment in the end and it would be a major learning experience for him.
More challenging than the physical and mental bombardments of the Evil One may have been the three experts in the art of fundamental attribution error placement, who had been disguised as Job's true friends, in providing advice.
Satan went to work and Job lost his sons and daughters, physical ailments began to plague him. Even his wife became a doubter and began to think that Job had brought all this on himself somehow through his actions. To this Job replied: "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?"
Even in his refusal to cave in to the idea that he had brought this on himself Job pulled a little bit of an FAE. He attributed it to God. His statement indicated that he thought God caused it to happen. Actually it would have been accurate to say God allowed it to happen. That's the way it is with us. Even as believers, and I dare say that few, if any, of us are as righteous and faithful as Job had been. Okay, I'm speaking for myself there.
Anyway, just as God allowed Satan to put Job through this misery, it is still happening today. We are besieged by the Evil One. He wants to shake our faith. He wants us to give up and try to right a wrong by doing another wrong thing. He would like to put doubts in our heads and provide us expert training in the art of fundamental avoidance error. "It ain't our fault," we say.   Then, that frees us to mess up again.
When we break the rules that is when we are most likely to lapse in FAE-dom. Ortberg addresses that: "The way back home for rule breakers is the way of grace through repentance. We need God's help to see the truth about our lives and character. Often He will enlighten us not only through times of reflection, but through other people who see and know us well. And then we need to reroute our lives."
Whenever I refer to Job's story I always like look at the end result. Job 42:12 says: "The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first." But, beyond the restoring of wealth and health the QSB commentary (pg 726) points out: "Perhaps the most comforting revelation of all for Job was that God was still his friend. Though he seemed silent or even absent, God was no mere spectator to Job's suffering. He was with him through the experience."
Even through all of our fundamental avoidance error posturing. God still cares about us. He is our friend.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the lesson we learned today. When we make mistakes help us to submit them to You and know that You can right all wrongs and You care what happens in our lives. Amen!
***Author's note: If you're like me you'll be thinking twice this week when something unwanted happens and asking God to redirect your thinking and reroute your journey in accordance with His plan.

“It ain’t over ‘til…” (November 5, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instructions.    2 Timothy 4:2
Finish this sentence for me: "It ain't over ‘til ___ ____. I think most of you accurately filled in the two-word completion which is "it's over." The familiar, but not necessarily grammatically correct statement reads: "It ain't over ‘til it's over."
That saying is attributed to baseball's Master of the Malapropism Yogi Berra.I was reminded of it as the Lovely Susette and I were going through my book "Devotions for the Armchair Quarterback" during one of our morning devotional times.
First of all what's a baseball quote doing in a book about football and the Bible? Well, it was in the chapter entitled "Halftime." And it fits because halftime is when some of the gridiron game's most inspiring speeches have been given. Still you have to go out and play the second half. Head coaches try to inspire teams to give their best effort in the second half and march on to victory, no matter how bleak things may have appeared in the first half of the game.
A game is only over before the final buzzer sounds...when people believe it's over. When you give up, reduce the intensity of your efforts, i.e. start just going through the motions, then it's over. But, if a coach can convince his players to give maximum effort, then there's always a chance because "it ain't over," officially and in the record books, " ‘til it's over." Until the clock ticks off that final second the game is not over. Hope prevails.
The sports world is full of stories of miraculous comebacks. Teams that refused to give up when the odds were stacked against them and made a victorious charge. In life, as well, there are times when the odds are stacked against us to such a degree that coming back seems to be a daunting, even an overwhelming task. Those who don't give up are the ones who still have a chance for a miraculous comeback.
The Lovely Susette and I are currently attending Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University" class on Monday nights at our church. Dave is a radio personality whose financial advice Talk Show is heard on over 300 radio stations daily. His website: www.daveramsey.com has more basic information if you want to check it out.
I bring Dave up because he provides a classic example of the truth in our simple statement that "it ain't over ‘til it's over." He's helped thousands of people get out of debt and begin saving while developing an understanding that in the financial game "it ain't over ‘til it's over." You can always dig your heels in, make a fresh start, and turn the game around.
In our scripture lesson from 2 Timothy the apostle Paul, writing from prison, is telling Timothy that the game isn't over and giving him a little pep talk to keep things going on the outside. He feared that his teachings about Jesus were being turned away from as people saw what was happening to him and how he had been arrested for preaching the Word.
He was using his best, "it-ain't-over" pep talk to keep Timothy strong in the faith and courageous in his preaching. He wanted Timothy to know that his effort in the cause was of paramount importance. The Word in Life Study Bible puts it this way: "convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching." In other words Paul was telling him to "do any thing you must to convince them that the game ain't over for the followers of The Way."
The strategy for turning things around is not always the same. Just like there are myriad problems that can beset us in life, the commonsense solution to each is not the same. So, the coach must sometimes get really basic. Devotions for the Armchair Quarterback page 73 says:   "A coach may find it necessary to review the fundamentals of football at halftime. He may have to talk about blocking and tackling, pass protection, and play execution. All of these must be crisp in the second half to win."
He might even have to be real elementary about the whole thing and get down in a blocking or tackling stance to remind the players what they must focus on fundamentally, if a turn around is going to get started. Unless they do the fundamental things right a comeback is over before it (the game) is over.
Sometimes a "rebuke" may be in order. In other words, a good old-fashioned chewing-out might be what is needed. Or the situation might call for confidence-building. Taking a positive approach he might talk about the things they have done right and tell them by focusing a little more and doing these things more often in the second half the game will be theirs.
The lesson for us is to know that the game ain't over for us no matter how difficult that steep, up-hill climb might be. When we turn to our fundamentals and search the scriptures we get fortification by reading about the other battles that God has brought his people through.
By praying and asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can get the help that is provided for all believers. With proper focus here we start seeing ways in which we can make headway and start chipping away at the problem. As we start making progress our confidence grows and we begin to understand: "I can do this."   With this new found confidence we find that success breeds success. Pretty soon that snowball of worries whether it's financial, relational, health-related or whatever, starts to melt.
Then, we understand that Yogi, whose team was nine games out of first place very late in the season, really did know what he was talking about because "it "ain't over ‘til its over." Instead of giving up Yogi managed his team, out of the morass, to win the pennant.
When we don't give up, but keep the faith and take the fundamental steps that have been time-tested by believers over the centuries, we will truly know that "it ain't over ‘til it's over."
Prayer: Lord, we take comfort in knowing that with You as an ever-present help in time of trouble, the game is never over until it's over. Amen!
Author: There are different versions of the "ain't over ‘til it's over" saying. But, they all stem from this basic one, so Yogi's mis-stated bit of wisdom is all we need to know to get started turning things in the right direction.




Hitting the Mark (October 29, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. In the book of Isaiah, God said, "Look, I am sending my messenger before you and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness; Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!"      Mark 1:1-3
"It falls to you Mark, as I am no scholar, neither am I skilled with the quill. But, if you are to do this, to spread abroad a written record of the gospel of Christ, I must supervise it and examine every word." There you have the conversation between an early writer and editor as imagined in the novel, "Mark's Story" by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins, the authors of the highly popular "Left Behind Series."
Now that "Left Behind" has been...well, left behind, the authors have started on a new series of Bible stories told in Novel form. Their first was on John and now the latest follows Mark author of the New Testament gospel by the same name.
Mark, a brilliant young scholar, has followed Peter, listening to his preaching and had many conversations with him about the Messiah, Jesus, over the years. Since he was a writer and Peter was just a rough and ready fisherman, Mark feared that all these Jesus stories would be lost , so he tried to convince Peter to let him commit them to paper, uh...papyrus.
Can you imagine, in this day of instant information and ready access to the written word having the patience to pull out a sheet of papyrus, a quill and ink to preserve your thoughts in writing.
First of all you say, "What's papyrus?" Well, it's a plant that according to Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79), that grows in the swamps of Egypt or sluggish waters of the Nile. It has a sloping root as thick as a man's arm." People used papyrus for firewood; woven together to make boats; and chewing gum. But, more importantly it was used to make a rough form of paper that in ancient times served as writing material.
Now, I fancy myself as a modern-day Mark, a guy who is fairly good with the written word. In fact, when I retired from radio to become a writer I adopted for my writing business (Writeman Enterprises) the slogan: "The right writer for the write job." But, gosh I'm glad the Lord put me in this era. I don't know if I would have the patience to deal with a quill and papyrus. Gosh, how would they even keep up with their writing schedule if they couldn't enter it in their Blackberry?
But, thanks to young Mark's diligence, we have the earliest and the shortest of the gospels. It is one that places an emphasis on action recounting the travels, teaching, healing, parables, Last Supper, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. He details the selection of the disciples and also provides an eyewitness report to the arrest, then recounts the trumped-up trial and sentencing of Jesus.
One of the crucial things in the success of any book is deciding where to begin the story. Mark starts with a most unique, yet dynamic character...John the Baptist. He focuses on John's unusual, attention-getting appearance and how he is a forerunner of Jesus. He was only there to pave the way for the Savior─the One the people have been awaiting. Why is Mark writing this story? Why is John the Baptist telling this story? They are doing it because they were "called" to do it.
So, what is a "calling" anyway? Recently as the Lovely Susette was going through some of her parents stuff, she came across a version of the Bible that I hadn't seen. It was "The Word in Life Study Bible" (Thomas Nelson, 1993). This particular one was a New Testament Edition. On page 780 I saw the heading, "Who is called anyway?"
Good question. Do you know what you have been called to do? TWLSB says, "Nowadays people often speak of a calling to signify a career that one has made a life-long passion, a vocation to which one feels deeply committed." So, is that what a calling is, just a job or is it more?
Peter was a fisherman when he was called to follow Jesus and he left his profession. In Romans 1:1 Paul says he was "called to be an apostle." Obviously their calling necessitated a change in their lives...although from time to time Peter would still fish, and Paul would make tents.
The TWLSB goes on to say that you and I have the same calling as Peter and Paul. No, we are not necessarily being called to drop our current jobs and go out preaching or serving as full-time missionaries. Romans 1:6 says, You are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. God loves you dearly and he has called you to be his very own people. (NLT) In other words, we are to do Kingdom's work wherever we are...we don't necessarily have to change jobs, but that might be called for.
I feel God has called me to be a Christian writer. Does that mean that everything I write has to quote scripture, include a Bible character or take on a preachy tone? Absolutely not. It just means that I approach my writing as a Christian and I pray for guidance that my writing might be meaningful as well as enjoyable.
The Lovely Susette is called to be a Christian Interior Designer. In her work she helps many people feel better about their homes, their workplace, the kinds of decisions they make and the selections that appeal to them. In the end they feel better about themselves.
Mark was the "right writer" of his day. Glad, he didn't chose that as a slogan or I would have had to ask permission of his publishing company to adopt it for Writeman Enterprises. Not sure how I would track that one down.
I encourage you to spend time in prayer about your calling. When you do, just like the Gospel writer you will "hit the mark."
Monday Prayer: Lord, we pray that our calling will be clear and we will be found faithful in pursuing Your will for our lives. Amen!
***Author's note: Think about your calling this week. Perhaps, you are right on track with what God wants you to do and then, maybe not. Have a great week!


Daring to Love (October 22, 2008) by Jim Crosby

How precious are your thoughts to me. How vast is the sum of them. If I should count them they would outnumber the sand.                       Psalm 139: 17-18
There's a new movie out about love. Gosh, that's great you say. Just what we need...one more movie about love. How many movies, with love as an underlying theme, have been filmed over the years? Countless numbers of them would be the answer.
Why bring it up at all?   Well, because this one is different. Yeah, yeah that's what all the movie promoters say. So, prove it. O.K. this movie contains something called "The Love Dare."
Google the word "Love" and you will come up with two-billion choices. That's right I said billion, as in a "2" followed by nine-zeroes. So, I guess love is important in our society. Gosh, that's an awful lot of information, much of it bogus or inappropriate I'm sure, to have to wade through.
So I googled the phrase "true love' and that narrowed it down to the millions...44 million six-hundred thousand to be exact. Still an awful lot of material to go through.
Let's check out the Bible and what it has to say about love. There you will find 308 scriptures containing the word "love" and 97 others using "loved." So, maybe we should narrow it down to one movie to give us a better handle on love and why "daring to love" can have such rewarding and life enhancing results.
But first let me share something I came across on the internet on The Life.com. Now I'm not real familiar with that site, so I can't vouch for everything written on it, but I did find something interesting in an article by Harriet Sun. She writes: "Love is a choice. It is a commitment...The Bible says that God is love. God as our designer and creator, made us with needs for love. Do you ever wonder why we constantly seek love from others, but never feel completely satisfied? It's because God designed us for an unconditional love, and we, as people, are flawed."
Okay, I'll agree with that. That's basic stuff. Nothing startling there. But, does that mean that we can never experience real, meaningful, and satisfying love because we couldn't equal anything good enough that would measure up to God's perfect love? Absolutely not because "Love" is God's gift to us. All of us have the ability to love.
Sometimes we throw the word "love" around carelessly. "I love steak and baked potatoes." "I love going to the theater and seeing a good play." "I love that dress." Sure, those are superficial ways of expressing ourselves about things that bring us pleasure. But the deep, satisfying kind of love that makes you a better person is what the movie: "Fireproof" addresses. While it is basically about the depth of love that shapes a marriage and the lives of a couple in it, this movie has something to say about love that can make us all more loving and unselfish people.
The centerpiece of the movie is a book called "The Love Dare." It is given by a father to a son who is experiencing marital problems. It has 40 days of "dare" in it. Each day he is to read a chapter on love and take up the "dare" to do the things that foster love that day.
I want to bring your attention to some of those...without spoiling the movie or the book for you. The reason I am so attracted to this is the example of how God can take a dream and multiply it many times over. That gives me hope for the dreams I have, so maybe you can experience the same kind of feelings.
First of all, "Fireproof" was made by a church in Albany, GA.---Sherwood Baptist Church. The Pastor Michael Catt set as his goal "to reach the world for Christ from Albany, GA." "Right Pastor...that's gonna happen from a little old South GA town" people were saying. Well, it did. A couple of brothers , Alex and Stephen Kendrick, assistant pastors at the church, made a movie called "Facing the Giants" using local volunteers, It was picked up by Sony Pictures and distributed nationally with great success. It played all over America and has inspired thouands and thousands of people, athletes, coaches, teachers, men and women in all professions.
Now, they are back with "Fireproof.," In first three weeks "Fireproof" has been in the top ten in movie attendance every week. The book featured in the movie "The Love Dare" is already in it's 7^th printing and hit #1 on the NY Times Paperback Advice Bestsellers list.
Obviously this movie has something strong to say about love and here's what I want you to consider. On Day Four of "The Love Dare" entitled "Love is Thoughtful" we read; "Love thinks. It is not a mindless feeling that rides on waves of emotion and falls asleep mentally. It keeps busy in thought, knowing that loving thoughts precede loving actions."
This is not only important in marriage, but in everyday life. How are you programming your mind? How much of what you think about or involuntarily allow to creep into your thoughts is based in love and caring? When those kinds of un-loving thoughts do unobtrusively slide into your conscious thinking, how quickly and effectively are you able to replace them with more positive, loving thoughts.
On the next page of The Love Dare it says, "If you don't learn to be thoughtful you end up regretting missed opportunities to demonstrate love. Thoughtlessness is a silent enemy to a loving relationship."
The Love Dare that goes along with this particular day (Day #4) is to: "Contact your spouse (or friend or relative) during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you might could do for them."
When you dare to be thoughtful, you are taking up the Love Dare and your life and the lives of those around you will be better for it.
Prayer: Lord, the gift of love is one of your greatest gifts. Help us to treat it like the treasure that it is by "daring to love" others in the way You have taught us. Amen!
*** Author's note: I do recommend the movie "Fireproof," another movie made by volunteer, unpaid performers including movie star Kirk Cameron. It certainly has the potential to change lives, foster love, and restore or strengthen marriages and friendships.

And the Winner is…You! (October 15, 2008) by Jim Crosby

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.         Luke 12:48
When Friday rolled around and I had not come up with a devotional topic this week, I did something I have done in the past...panicked! No, just kidding! I asked The Lovely Susette, "What should I use as a topic for this week's devotion." A frown came across her pretty face─that indicates she is thinking hard about something─and then she uttered the key word: "Winning."
I was curious as to why she picked that subject, so I asked. She replied that we are in tough economic times and people are struggling in many areas of their lives and they need a positive message. She added that she had heard a talk on leadership and she just thought it was a good time for people to think about being positive leaders wherever they are. Bingo! Smart girl. I knew I married her for some other reasons than just her loveliness.
Of course, the only information she failed to add to her suggestion was what to write about in the context of winning. She left that part up to me. Oh well, I guess I have to do a little work around here. The first thing to do was to find a scripture to inspire and inform us about winning.
So I located this scripture in Luke (12:48) that talks about being given much. Certainly if you have been blessed with plenty of talent, intelligence, intuition, those kinds of things; you would be regarded as a winner, wouldn't you? Not necessarily! It depends on how you use those things. See the second part of verse 48 says to those who have been given much, much more is expected. In other words, the Lord expects us to use the talent for good purposes. Then we are considered a winner.
When we speak of winning my mind automatically focuses on sports. I love the thrill of victory you get when you play together as a team and are victorious in a game. That's why I write a lot about sports and seek correlations in the Bible. Winning in life is more important than winning in sports, so why can't we take success stories in sports and see what Biblical principles can be found in those and apply them to our own lives?
There is a certain mindset that accompanies winning. I've found that in sports whenever a team starts playing cautiously and trying not to lose, instead of concentrating on what it takes to win...they usually lose. Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:7) that the Lord did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but power, love and self discipline.
Therefore, we have no reason approach life with a fear of losing or making a big mistake or saying and doing the wrong thing. The One who made us instilled a spirit of boldness that allows us to go for the win, not try to avoid a loss.
Often we allow ourselves to get overcome by the magnitude of the task. That's when the winner breaks it down into smaller more do-able tasks. As we knock them off one by one we gain confidence to win the big one. When he was coaching Lou Holtz once said: "I don't think we can win every game; just the next one."   That's a good attitude. When you win the next one, and the next one and next, eventually you will have won all of these battles or at least so many of them that there is no doubt you are a winner.
Vince Lombardi once said: "The will to win is dependent upon the will to prepare to win." No one just falls out there and wins a contest, an advantage or satisfactory result. It takes preparation, forethought, practice and a burning desire to be successful.
There's also a certain amount of stamina involved because winning doesn't come easy. It might take extra innings or over time or more hours on the job, additional study time. Developing a "whatever-it-takes-attitude."
At times I've gotten frustrated when I felt like one of the Lovely Susette's clients was being unfair. Sometimes they have called on her to do extra stuff that really didn't seem to be called for. But, I've never heard her turn a client down, no matter how ...uh, ridiculous or menial the task might appear to be. But, you know what? That's what makes her a winner. That's why her Interior Design Business continues get referral after referral. When her customer wins, so does she. And it provides more opportunities to win with more people.
I've heard Pastor Joel Osteen say on many occasions that God didn't create any losers. You are a winner because he created you. I know you're saying, "Yeah, yeah well how come my business is failing, my marriage is a mess, my kids won't behave, even my favorite teams are losing.
The answer to all of those could be "attitude." Do you have a winning attitude? Sure, sometimes circumstances beyond your control will beat you downt. But, you don't have to stay down. If you are determined to succeed you will rebound. You will get back up and try again.
Even though you are trying to do the right thing are you going to make mistakes? You're darn right you will. But, as John Wooden said: "A man may make mistakes, but he isn't a failure until he starts blaming someone else." So, if you make a mistake admit it.Then set about to correct it or to do better the next time.
I hope this devotion has encouraged you in some fashion. Think back over the things you have done recently. If they were all simply rated a win or a loss, how many of those would fall in the "W" column. Maybe you have more "L's" than "W's." It doesn't matter if you do. Remember it is the will to prepare to win. So as you analyze the things that went wrong, decide on a positive course of action, and get back in the ball game. That will make you a winner!
Prayer: Lord thank you for creating us to be winners. We pray for a winning attitude that will honor Your creation and prepare us to do Your work. Help us to develop winning habits. Amen!
***Author's note: I know you are going to be a winner this week in the things you do, because you have decided that you will not be defeated.



But, Sunday is my only Day Off (October 8, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy...For in sixdays the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Exodus 20: 8, 11
Saturday was fun!   So enjoyable you probably got to bed later than you had intended. Now as the sun light comes streaming through the bedroom window, you blink your eyes, yawn, stretch and try to think what day it is anyway. Then, it sinks in. Hey, it's Sunday and I don't have to go to work. I can turn over and go back to sleep. Wrong! Get out of that bed and get ready for church.
That thought enters your mind, but here's where rationalization takes over. "Sunday is my only day off. I work hard the rest of the week. I should be able to take Sunday off without catching a bunch of grief about it."
Well, actually you could stay in the sack. And probably nobody would jump on your case, unless your Mom still lives with you. But, the reason you need to roll out of that sack and go to worship is not to please someone else but to benefit yourself.
You've been to church before. You know that good feeling you have when you are leaving the worship service, until someone cuts you off in traffic. So, why is it a struggle to get going on Sunday?
Christianity Today magazine reports the Barna Research Group findings that there are "10 million self-proclaimed Christians" in the United States who have not been to church in six months (exept for Christmas or Easter).
Why? Well, some folks say they don't need to go to church. They can worship God anywhere. Why not catch a few zzzz's then go to the beach. There you can experience the fullness of God, and certainly as you view the beauty of His creation you can give thanks and draw close to Him. But, what about later in the week when things get wacky and you need support? Can you draw on what you learned on the beach to comfort and help you solve your problems?
Pastor Bob Tindale (Killearn United Methodist Church) once said that he hadn't really met anyone who was strong enough to worship consistently without being involved in a church.
Tim Stafford writing for Christianity Today said, "The church is the body of Christ, the tangible representation of Jesus' life on earth...If you miss connecting with the body, you miss connecting with Christ."
Okay, so there is no such thing as a perfect church. And if you look close enough and go to a service with a big enough chip on your shoulder, you'll find something that is not totally to your liking. But, Stafford says, "Can you imagine the Apostle Paul arriving in a city, finding a local congregation not to his taste and simply staying away. "
Remember the old song, "People, people who need people are the luckiest people in the world." Well, we all need people, but let's qualify that further. God's people need God's people.
Stafford clarifies this by writing, "All God's promises were made to God's people─plural. All the New Testament epistles address Christians in churches. The Bible simply does not know of the existence of an individual, isolated Christian.
There was a television commercial a few years ago that showed a business meeting in which the CEO was telling his managers that an old friend, who was also a customer, had recently told him he missed the personal, face-to-face meetings they used to enjoy. Seems they were now communicating by fax, email, telephone and other means that expedited doing business.
The CEO said that he was sure that was the case with lots of other clients. So, he started passing out airline tickets to his managers...to Cleveland...Boston...New York...etc. to go see their customers face to face. When, asked where he was going, he said, I'm flying out today to see that old friend.
Teleconferences...speaker phones...video tape...all can get the message across, but not the personal touch. We can read the Bible, watch the Charles Stanleys and Robert Schullers on Television, but it is not the same as being there. Being in church where you can kneel at the altar. Being in church where you can fellowship with Christian friends. Being in church where you can feel the Holy Spirit's presence.
To be baptized, you need to be in church. To take Communion, you need to be in church. Singing the praise music in a congregation uplifts you much more than singing along with a CD in your car.
Going to church can be habit forming, but so can not-going-to-church. I know that I just feel that my week is not getting off to a proper start if I'm not in church on Sunday. Somehow there is a void in my week that starts on the first day and carries on through.
Being part of a newly-formed church I'm especially aware of the need for regular church attenders. You can't build a church if you don't have people you can count on. There will always be those who sample what your church has to offer and may come back periodically or you may not see them again. But, the ones you can count on to be present during fair weather or foul, good times or bad, when troubled or happy, are the building blocks of the church.
Philip Yancey, Best-Selling Christian Author wrote a book called, "Church, Why Bother?" Growing up Yancey rebelled against his childhood church and the picture of a stern, judgemental God. He bounced around from place-to-place, in and out of church and tried giving up church altogether. In the end he found that despite all the imperfections of church that is where he felt closest to the Lord.
That's a good reason to roll out of bed on Sunday and go to church. After all you can always take a nice Sunday afternoon nap and you'll probably enjoy it even more.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the privilege and the power of church attendance. Whatever brings us closer to You is good and we know that your stamp of approval on church attendance is evident in your Word.
***Author's note: See you in church.

A Formidable Foe (October 1, 2008) by Jim Crosby

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.       Ephesians 6: 12
He's a funny looking little guy. He has on an all-red outfit, has horns and carries a pitchfork. Kind of cute actually. Looks like he's full of...uh, devilment. Watch out!
That's just what Satan wants. He likes it when we see that kind of a depiction and we think more about mischief than meanness. Kind of like a mischievous child. One who is running around, misbehaving, but, he's so precious he doesn't mean any harm so we let him get away with it. But, what if "little precious" pokes another kid in the eye with a stick or causes him to fall and hurt himself?
I think you are starting to get the picture as to why we have to be on-guard and have a solid defense against that little devlish looking guy who is just full of devilment. It's a trick. Read what C. S. Lewis unveils this in The Screwtape Letters─ a book in which he created "an imaginary correspondence between a senior level demon, Screwtape, and his bumbling nephew, Wormwood.
Screwtape tells his nephew: "The fact that ‘devils' are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of our existence begins to arise in his (i.e., the victim's) mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he can't believe in that (it's an old textbook method of confusing them), he therefore cannot believe in us."
The Prayer Coach, Reverend James Nicodem cautions us not to be naïve. He asks, "Do you believe in the devil and his cohorts? The Bible never pictures him with horns, pitchfork, and a red outfit. We're told, rather, that he was once one of God's angels. That makes him a created being, and in no way (thankfully) equal in power to God. Motivated by pride, the devil challenged God for His job, lost the contest, and was banished from heaven."
Ever since that time, Lucifer (star of the morning) as he was called before his fall, has been on a rampage to bring as many unsuspecting folks down with him. The good news is that, unlike God, Satan is not omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere at the same time. The bad news is that he doesn't have to, he has lots of help.
Revelation 12:8,9 talks about the war that went on in heaven when Satan's rebellion was overcome and he was cast out as the archangel Michael and his angels fought against him. "But, he (Satan) was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven. The great red dragon was hurled down-the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."
So, even though he can't be everywhere simulataneously he does have these angels turned demons to help. That's why when we resist the evil temptations these bad guys will go elsewhere and try to get a foothold in someone else's life. They want to work where they will find the least resistance. But, does this mean they won't be back? No way! They'll plot a different strategy and be back to beat you down.
Now, does all this sound like fiction? Makes an intriguing story, doesn't it? But, that's why Rev. Nicodem cautions us not to be naïve. If you believe there is no evil force out there who delights in seeing you do wrong you become a sitting duck. They have a great starting point because you do not recognize the enemy, so you are not on guard to fight off his advances. Billy Graham says, "Satan's strategy is to persuade us to rationalize."
Think about the times in your life that you have done wrong things. Okay, so I'm going to use the Biblical term..."sinned." You see sin is what separates you from God. You can't be sinning, i.e. doing wrong things, and be close to God at the same time. When you are separated from God that is when you are defenseless. You are most vulnerables and there are any number of strategies that can bring you down.
Nicodem says, "Sinning has been our natural inclination for years. It's become an ingrained habit. We do it without thinking. Our inherent propensity is to disobey God." Of course, when we do this we regret it later. The mistakes we make stick with us...unless we call on the Holy Spirit to help us.
God has certainly not left us defenseless. We are his children, but like those mischievous little ones, we are sometimes hard-headed. We want to do it our way and we do not avail ourselves of the defenses he has given us. Reading on in today's scripture lesson, verses 13-17, we read about the weapons he has provided. the belt of truth; breastplate of righteousness; shoes of peace; shield of faith; helmet of salvation; and the sword of the Spirit. So, you can not only defend yourself, you can fight back.
But, Nicodem points out two other enemies, besides Satan, with potential to harm us. The first is...us! As Pogo said in the comics, "We have met the enemy and he is us." In the flesh we are our own worst spiritual enemies."
It's the old "stuff syndrome." At least that's part of it. Seems we can never get enough stuff, doesn't it. Soon the stuff controls us or at least the desire for it does. That's where our other spiritual enemy comes in: the World.   Nicodem says that world prompts us to leave the path of righteousness. So many factors out there are at play. Peer pressure. The entertainment world. Bosses and job expectations; advertising; even school textbooks." All of these can promote "values, priorties and moral standards that are contrary to God's."
So, don't fall into the trap of being lackadaisical. There is a formidable foe out their working against you, in your life, every day. But, the good news is that you have an ally who is even stronger and more formidable than the evil foe. How do you access this powerful Helper? Verse 18 says; "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." He is always faithful to heed your call!
Monday Prayer: Lord we are aware that Satan wants to bring us down. We also understand that you won't let him. Thank you for being accessible and for loving us enough to protect us from harm.   Amen!
***Author's note: Have a great week. Be cautious of Satan's traps, but confident of the Lord's protection.

The Day God Scratched His Head-(September 24, 2008) by Jim Crosby

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan?this rebirth comes from God. John 1:12,13
On the day you were born did God scratch his head and say: "What have I done here? I don't know about this one." Never happened! Even though you may feel that way sometimes, God loves all of us. Sure, sometimes we give Him every reason to be vexed with us. We test His patience. We don't deserve His blessings.
But, enough about how unworthy we are. Obviously we could never measure up to the standard set by Jesus when he was here on earth. The good news is we don't have to. "Jesus loves me this I know." Now where have I heard that before?
There's a reason every children's Sunday School class sings or has sung that song. We want to make sure that our kids know about love and that love starts and ends with God. For some reason I feel compelled to pursue the topic of God's love today, so hang on because I'm not sure where all this is leading, but wherever it's going we will...well we'll get there.
Our church, Good Samaritan UMC, has been pursuing a study series in worship services and small home groups about exploring our Christian roots. We recently studied Lutheranism. Boy, do we owe a lot to Martin Luther. His questioning mind. His boldness. His refusal to just go along with the same old routines and doctrines accepted, without question, throughout the ages.
When we accept the status quo without asking why, things should be done this way, we are opening ourselves up for abuses in a system or a way of thinking.
In his book "Christianity's Family Tree" Adam Hamilton (Church of the Resurrection) says that Martin Luther was ordained a priest in 1507, but "it was his personal, spiritual and emotional struggle that moved him to desperation in his search for a God of mercy."
Some said that Luther struggled with depression and bouts of despair and that is what led him to try to find love and acceptance in God's message to the world. Makes sense. It is in the darkest of times, those periods in which we struggle with failure or temptation or waning confidence, that we wonder if God is really scratching his head and puzzling over how we could get things so messed up.
It's in those times we forget the things we have learned about God like; "God will never call on you to do anything he hasn't equipped you to do." We feel lost and we can't find our way. We make a start only to discover we are going in the wrong direction.
For years Luther struggled until he finally formulated what would become the hallmark idea of the Protestant Reformation. "Human beings are justified or made right with God not by our works, but by God's work in Jesus Christ." And what was that work? It was a work of love. He gave His Son as a sacrifice so we might be forgiven for all the misdirection and wrong roads we travel.
Luther's discovery came about when he was reading Paul's letter to the Romans which in effect said don't beat yourself up over the wrong things you have done because we all have done them. But, we are now justified by God's grace as a gift, given through Jesus Christ.
Luther discovered all kinds of abuses in the Roman Catholic church of that era. How about the little "pray for pay" scam they had going on. They were raising funds to construct Saint Peter's Cathedral in Rome, so preachers were commissioned to conduct a capital funds campaign. They told the people if they would contribute money, prayers would be offered up for their departed loved ones so they would spend less time in purgatory.
The clergy also felt it was dangerous for the laity to have access to Bibles because they might misinterpret the scriptures and cause problems. So very few people had Bibles. They had to rely on the priests for interpretations of the Word.
Luther investigated these abuses and came up with 95 statements of misconduct. He called them the "95 Theses" and to make sure the public knew about them he posted them on the doors of the Castle Church on Halloween, October 31, 1517. Lutherans call this Reformation Day.
Some of the basic things he pointed out obviously made the clergy a little angry. Perhaps, in the same way Jesus angered the Pharisees. Hamilton says, "Luther spoke of the priesthood of all believers." Believers were told they could go directly to God in worship without having to be ordained as a pastor or bishop. In fact, Luther maintained "all believers were ordained, in their baptism, to serve God and do God's work."
Another of Luther's affirmations was that of "sola scriptura." This means "scripture alone." That's all you need to define your faith and formulate your doctrine. It's all based on the Bible and Christians can read it on their own and ask the Holy Spirit to help them interpet it. So, Luther began to teach and encourage others to read and study the Bible.
Another thing Luther refuted was the idea that since we are sinners our salvation hinges on doing enough good things to overshadow the bad ones. So Luther came to see "God as a God of love and mercy and that the response required from us as Christians is simply to trust in this love."
And that statement makes my point. The day this all-powerful, but tender, loving God created you, if he did scratch his head, it was because he was thinking. "Wow, what great things are in store for the world because of the talents of this newborn baby. I know because a lot of love went into his/her creation."
Now it's up to you to trust in that love and use the gift you've been given to help others experience it as well.
Prayer: Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of all things big and small we revere You and are humbled by Your unconditional love. Amen!
***Author's note: No head scratching this week because we know Jesus loves us. That's our starting point for all we undertake to do.

Low Pads Win (September 17, 2008) by Jim Crosby

"Teacher which is the greatest Commandment? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew22:37-39
In a recent conversation I had with Mickey Andrews, the defensive coordinator for the Florida State Football team for the past 25 years, we were talking about the fundamentals of faith, sort of.   You see, Mickey is a strong believer in adhering to fundamentals as a way to win in football and in life.
I told the coach that I had always remembered hearing him say to his players on the defensive line, many years ago, that "low pads win." When the ball is snapped the battle begins up on that line. The player who gets his shoulder pads under those of his opponent has the leverage he needs and can best utilize his strength to win that one-on-one battle. He then has the advantage in getting to the ball and making the tackle. Or if the offensive lineman wins that battle by getting his pads lower, he'll be able to protect the passer or ball carrier.
But, then Mickey talked about one of the fundamental things that he believes in that gets him through each day. "Prayer has got to be a strong part of it." he said, then added. " That's something you can do anywhere. You can pray in your car. In your bedroom. The bathroom. You can pray in your living room. Or in your office. You can even pray while you are driving."
Obviously, Mickey Andrews, one of college football's best defensive coaches, has learned that in a tough game, one requiring a certain amount of physical strength, the inner strength gained from communicating with the Heavenly Father is how real strength is gained.
In life it is important to know what the fundamentals are, as well. In the early days of the church, the followers of "The Way" as they were called back then, actually began with Judaism. But, as more Gentiles began to buy into the gospel message Christianity continued to develop and become more distinct from Judaism.
As time passed by, there began to be some conflict in the church as arguments cropped up concerning theology and practice. Consequently, in 325 AD, bishops from throughout the world gathered in Nicea to determine what the fundamentals of the faith were. They wanted to agree upon and write down just what is was they believed.
Out of this meeting the came Nicene Creed. This document basically summarizes what we as Christians believe. Now the fundamentals were in written form. Those words that were agreed on and are basically the same ones we recite in churches today.
The fundamental thing that was laid out in this creed was that as Christians we believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit---a triune God. God in three persons.
All kinds of denominations with varying theological approaches have sprung up over the years. But, the fundamentals are still there. The beginning point of worship is with the Trinity: Heavenly Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
This fundamental understanding of the Trinity speaks to many areas of our lives and beliefs. Nelsons' Bible Dictionary explains: "The most distinctive characteristic of the persons of the triune family is their selfless love for one another. Each esteems and defers to the other in a way that makes the original family of the trinity a model for the Christian family of believers in the church."
"The Father gives all authority to the Son and bears witness to Him, as does Jesus to himself (John 8:18) Yet the Son claims nothing for Himself; He gives all glory to the Father who has sent Him (John 12:49-50). The key to unlocking the mystery of the trinity is to observe how the persons of the triune family give themselves to one another in selfless love. They are always at one another's disposal."
"The Father serves the Son; the Son serves the Father; Father and Son defer to the Holy Spirit, who in turn, serves and defers to the Father and Son in a oneness that is eternally dynamic and inexhaustible. The mutual love of the triune persons spills over into the creation and is seen in their generous cooperation in saving the lost (John 14:15-17, 25-26)."
So, look at those fundamentals. First of all God is love. He created or invented it. He gives it freely to us and the love that is demonstrated in the Trinity, models this most basic and important fundamental in life.
The Trinity is a model for the Christian family. It speaks to how we should conduct ourselves as believers and demonstrates the value of teamwork and cooperation.
I recently read "The Shack" which is an allegory meant to shed light on the Trinity and this separateness of personalities and how they coexist, cooperate and fill different roles in watching over us. Some may be offended or might not like the writing style of "The Shack", but I believe the reason it went to the top of the Best Seller List is that it opens up and enlarges our thinking and enables us to focus on the fundamentals of the Trinity.
That Spirit of love for each other, willingness to fulfill special roles, the teamwork involved in fulfilling a higher purpose is basic in the way we should strive to live our lives.
But, as Mickey Andrews added, the fundamental idea that "low pads win" is only effective if you follow through with the other things required to capitalize on that strategy. The intensity, the quickness, the strength, and the execution that must follow this basic, fundamental premise are what, in the long run, make it work.
When we start with the fundamentals that were demonstrated by the Trinity going all the way back to the Creation, we'll have the low pads needed to win those battles in life.
Prayer: Lord thank you for laying out the fundamentals that lead to success for us. Love, cooperation, teamwork, willingness to perform the role you have given us the talent to achieve. To God be the Glory. Amen!
***Author's note: Sometimes we forget about the fundamental things in life that ensure success. No need to despair. Just revisit, re-learn and reapply them and the Lord will put us back on the right track. Have a great week.




Hello Football! (September 10, 2008) by Jim Crosby

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes world? Only he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God.      1 John 5:4 (QSB)
Hello Football! It's great to have you back where you belong! If you are like me you miss the gridiron game when it is out of season. Okay, so maybe I overdo the football watching thing a little bit when it is in season, but let me point out that I refuse to watch the NFL pre-season, exhibition games. You know that month's worth of games on the tube that are more like glorified practices. By skipping all of those I should get a gold star shouldn't I. Well, maybe a platinum or bronze one anyway.
But, I'll admit once the season begins the games are hard for me to resist. First of all I enjoy football watching. I like the games, strategies, matchups, excitement...all of it. Second, in recent years, I've become more in tune with how the things that bring about success in football, when duplicated in life, can also lead to great accomplishments. This is especially true when you examine this in light of Bible scriptures. I've found many correlations. So many, in fact, that I put some of them in a book: Devotions for the Armchair Quarterback (2004, Gom Publishing) and have a new book I'm shopping to publishers and agents called God's Game: The X's and O's of Football and the Bible.
The main correlation that I see between football and life is the role of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." The QSB commentary tells us what faith is like: "Faith means abandoning all trust in our own resources, abilities and reasoning─the things we see. It means relying instead on things we cannot see─God's promises, provisions, and his concern for us. An inner attitude alone does not define faith, though. For faith to be present, action is required. Faith proves itself by its obedience to the Lord."
Here's where Biblical advice crosses over football reality as we read in the introduction to the book: Gods Game..." Football coaches must get their players to buy into a message of faith for the team to be successful. Fans must have faith that the coaches have a plan the players can execute and win with and the players are capable of doing the job.
So, fans, coaches and players are all in the same boat. They want the same thing. Everyone wants to win football games and to be successful in the other areas of their lives as well. Nobody wants to fail. We know what we hope for and we must have faith that what we do not immediately see will become a reality in the future."
Faith played a big role in the life of David Tyree. He was, by his own admission, an obscure special-teams player for the New York Giants. When the Giants made it to the 2008 Super Bowl they were actually facing giants...the New England Patriots whose flashy, unbelievable record coming in was 18-0. NY, 13-6, barely made it to the playoffs as a wild card team. No wild card team had ever won the Super Bowl.
The night before the big game Tyree asked his spiritual mentors Pastors Kimberly and Ardell Daniels to pray with him. While praying they felt moved to tell David something that was being revealed to them. They believed that a clear message was coming though to them in answer to their prayers for Tyree's performance in the game. They felt that David would make "a big play" in the game.
Proceeding on faith...a confident faith that made him sure of what he hoped for and certain of what he couldn't yet see...David entered the game and dispelled from his mind the last practice session in which he dropped about every pass thrown to him. According to a Charisma Magazine excerpt from Tyree's book (More than Just a Catch, Charisma House Publishing) when he went to Quarterback Eli Manning before the game to regain his confidence, Manning cut him off...looked him in the eyes...and said "I know you're ready. I trust you."
In the second half, trailing 7-3, Manning went to Tyree. The Syracuse graduate grabbed the 5-yard pass for a touchdown─his first TD of the season. He thought that was the big play that his spiritual mentors had told him about. He was wrong.
The Patriots regained the lead (14-10) and in the closing minutes of the game Manning avoided the charging linemen and lofted a 32-yard pass toward Tyree who describes the play this way. "Touching the ball with my fingers and pinning it down to my helmet, I was determined to hold on. I could not let go." The miraculous catch set up an easy game winning touchdown pass (to Plaxico Burress) against the stunned Patriot secondary.
The next day ESPN's Sports Center called the Tyree catch "the greatest play in Super Bowl history." Tyree's action that flowed from his strong faith achieved a miracle. He heard the message. Trusted that it came from God and it has changed his life forever. David Tyree no longer calls that game the Super Bowl. He refers to it as the Supernatural Bowl.
Recently I spoke to Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden who is approaching his 500^th game in coaching and has won conference and national championships. He's also been through some tough times in coaching and in life. Bobby said: "One thing that has sustained me and got me through is my faith."
Faith and football complement each other. God has given us the game of football to enjoy, but not to make it our god. Football brings us enjoyment and enriches our lives in many ways. One of the best ways it does that is to provide life lessons that emanate from the Bible to strengthen us and give us victory through Jesus.
Monday Prayer: Thank you Lord for football and the life lessons we learn from it when we measure them against passages of scripture. Strengthen our faith and speak to us through our enjoyment of the gridiron game. Amen!
***Author's note: Bring on those kickoffs and with them maybe a new view of how faith and football intersect in our lives. Keep scoring those touchdowns for the Lord!


The Wall (September 3, 2008) by Jim Crosby

O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.          Nehemiah 1:11
"God is in the business of working through His people to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks." (NLT Bible pg 749). Keep that in mind as this story unfolds.
Have ever thought: "You know that is like butting your head against a brick wall." I have. Sometimes you just come up against something, maybe even a stream of somethings, and you can't figure it out. How to solve it, fix it, get around it, make it go away, whatever. Yep, I can tell that you know the feeling.
Well, I want to provide a solution. First, thanks to Tony Dungy, Coach of the World Champion Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI. for introducing me to Nehemiah. I probably would never have given him much thought if Dungy hadn't pointed out, in "Quiet Strength" (Men's Bible Study) the way the Prophet's actions helped him during his career in sports.
Dungy studied the book of Nehemiah during his first year playing in the NFL for the Steelers. That study gave him the strength he needed to get through many of his struggles. Dungy says: "The book of Nehemiah is packed with wisdom for attacking problems or circumstance that require strength we don't have on our own."
So, let's see what Nehemiah did that we can learn from. First of all here's what the QSB Bible says about Nehemiah. "If you've ever faced an overwhelming task or felt inadequate to meet a challenge, you'll be able to identify with Nehemiah. He struggled with issues still with us today: movtivation, fatigue, criticsm. But, this book also offers inspiration and vision. Without neglecting the practical. Nehemiah shows how to takle God's difficult assignments and survive both opposition and apathy." Why haven't I discovered this guy before? I've read the Bible through from cover to cover five times, but I guess I was speed reading when it came to Nehemiah. Shame on me!
Nehemiah had a comfortable and wealthy position in Persia. He had the position of cupbearer for King Ataxerxes. His job was to ensure the safety of the king's food and drink. He was trusted and well liked. He was also an exile from Jerusalem.
Word got back to Nehemiah that things were not going well for his people who had been allowed to return to Jerusalem. Even though they had completed the rebuilding of the temple, the wall around the city had been torn down and the gates had been burned. Thus, they were at peril from enemies who could attack the city. Walls were very important back in those days. They were kind of the home-security systems of ancient times, minus the codes you have to punch in when you come home to keep from being considered a burglar by the monitoring system at the police station.
To make matters worse the leadership, for lack of a better term, was totally disorganized. So, what did Nehemiah do about it? He prayed. He asked God to look down and see him "praying night and day for his people." He confessed that the people had sinned. He also called upon God to grant him favor with the king in his request to go back to Jerusalem and provide help.
He put on his un-happy face and went in to see the king. When the king asked him why the long face he said" "Why shouldn't I be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins and the gates have been burned down." Now, he had the king set up and when he asked how he could help, Nehemiah asked for permission to go home and fix things.
Now, to make a long story short the king gave him the go ahead and sent letters with his seal to get him past the trouble spots. So he got there surveyed the damage then he told them what he was up to. They replied: "Good let's rebuild the wall! So, they began the good work."
End of story. Not quite! Things are never easy as I'm sure you are discovering every day. He discovered some kibitzers. Well, actually more than that...enemies. Sanballat-Governor of Samaria and Tobiah, governor of Transjordan were determined that this wall building wasn't going to happen. A rebuilt Jerusalem was a threat to them and it was particularly disconcerting that one of the King's most trusted assistants had been given his blessing to do the work.
So, they tried all kinds of tactics to make this project fail. They ridiculed the people saying they would never be able to do it. But the Jews kept on working. Tobiah said, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!" But, the Jews kept on working."
They tried to call a meeting in which they would kill Nehemiah. He didn't attend. They accused them of treason. They didn't fall for it.
It took awhile and the builders started to complain they spent so much time working on the wall they didn't have time for their families. Weren't getting paid enough to support their families. Whine. Whine. Whine.
But, Nehemiah calmly addressed every problem. At every turn he prayed for God's help. And guess what? They built that wall.
What we can learn from Nehemiah that will help us today is to examine his prayers that were the key to his success. He got the bad news, recognized God's holiness, confessed his sins, and made a specific heartfelt request of God.
When the mocking and ridiculing started he expressed anger to God, but still trusted God to show him the way.
When he was threatened he showed trust in God and asked for strength while taking the necessary precautions to protect the city. (NLT pg 743).
Every step of the way...in every difficulty that occurred instead of butting his head against a brick wall of problems while constructing this stone wall to protect the city, Nehemiah presented the problem to God, in the right way with the proper timing and God was faithful to answer those prayers.
It happens just like that today. Got wall problems? Do what Nehemiah did. Get God involved.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for helping us knock down those brick walls of resistance with the ultimate weapon...the power of prayer. Amen!
Author's note: Amazing that I had never really paid close attention to Nehemiah before. But, there are a lot of lessons to be learned from him even others I couldn't address in a short devotion. I recommend reading Nehemiah, it's only 13 chapters.


Let’s Talk (August 27, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time. Proverbs 5:23 (NLT)
"Talk is cheap." "She'll talk your ear off." "He's all talk and no action." "Don't talk it to death." "That team is a bunch of trash talkers." "He talks a good game, but that's as far as it goes." "Talking behind someone's back." Let's see, have I gotten the main negatives about "talk" out of the way?
"I love the way she talks."   "I could listen to that man talk all day." "Peace talks." "Let's talk it over." "Making small talk." "That kind of talk makes sense." Those are some of the positives associated with the word "talk."
Of course there are countless other ways we can talk about talk. Talking can practically be elevated to an art form, when you consider some of the great speechmakers in history and their "way with words."
Or talk can sink down to its lowest ebb in mumbling or intentionally misstating or misusing words to confuse or refuse to communicate with a person. Some people are just not great talkers. Some people don't like to talk. You've heard of the strong silent types. There are probably some weak silent types, as well.
Not to be written in stone, but here's an observation I've made over the years. When talk stops problems occur. If someone or something is bothering a person and they internalize it rather than getting it out by talking about it; there is great potential for harmful results. Tension. Headaches. Upset stomach. Broken or damaged relationships. Misunderstandings.
Sometimes people inwardly stew over a problem until they finally can't stand it anymore. Then, when they talk about it with someone, they may find out they had the wrong interpretation of a situation. Maybe the other person meant something , by what they said or did, that was entirely different from what it was thought to signify.
Of course sometimes we can talk too soon. Les Parrott, PhD, in his book "3 Seconds: The Power of Thinking Twice" recommends that we do just that. We should take three seconds to respond instead of saying the first thought that comes into our mind. The second thought that we have ,by delaying for that brief period of time, may be a more appropriate thing to say. Or that delay could affirm that our first thought was okay to verbalize.
By talking, wars can be averted or at least delayed until cooler heads prevail and sounder strategies can be formulated. By talking we can teach others the things we have learned, studied, and that God has put on our hearts. Talk can change people. It can dramatically affect lives. Think about some of the profound thoughts you have heard expressed in your lifetime that have made an impact on you. Maybe they changed your way of thinking, your lifestyle, your actions.
But sometimes talk can be meaningless. In the first book I wrote "Monday Morning Devotions" (Pleasant Word, 2002) there is an example of this in the first Chapter ("What's in a Word). "Most of us have known people who, in their own minds, felt like the word was mightier than the deed. They say things that make them appear to be Mr. Nice Guy or Ms. Nice Gal, but that's all it is?talk. Their words never evolve into action, but when they utter them, everyone comments about how nice and considerate they are. They have received instant gratification without following through."
Talk can however have a great impact because of the setting in which it is delivered or the need of the person being talked to or even those who view the results of the conversation. On the way from Judea to Galilee Jesus had to go through Samaria. He stopped at a well, exhausted and thirsty after a long walk. When a woman came to the well to draw water, He asked her for a drink.
"The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritan. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"
"Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." This, of course, confused the woman so Jesus explained to her what he meant. He allowed her to ask questions then they talked them out.
The capper came when he told her things about her life that she didn't think he could possibly know. "You don't have a husband. You have had five husbands and are not even married to the man you're living with now." (NLT, pg. 1628).
Jesus did this not to shame the woman, but to authenticate the words He had said to her. He wanted to make sure that she understood these were not just hollow, meaningless words meant to impress her. From that day forth her life would be changed by this one conversation with the Master. She learned that He was the Messiah. She had a rare privilege, one that has been forever preserved in scripture. People still read about her in the book that has sold more copies than any other book that has ever been written: The Holy Bible.
The disciples came along and they were also "astonished to find Him talking to the (Samaritan) woman." They didn't question it, but rest assured this was another extremely unusual action Jesus had taken that they would remember later as they pieced together all the lessons they had learned from Him.
Talk can be initiated for many reasons. Granted, sometimes the timing is not right for talking. But, once you get past that situation, then talk is usually called for. The Lovely Susette and I have discovered that some of the most meaningful and transforming times we have experienced have occurred after we have had a good talk about the things that are happening in our lives.
When something is on your mind, try talking about it with a friend. I highly recommend it.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank your for the ability to talk things over with friends and acquaintances. Grant us the gift for discerning how to use conversations to honor you and improve our lives and the life-situations of others. Amen!
Author's note: No matter if you have been blessed with the "gift of gab" or not, talking things over with someone else can be a blessing to you and the other person as well.

The Helicopter View (August 20, 2008)- by Jim Crosby

Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as those   who do not know the meaning of life, but as those who do.     Ephesians 5:15
On our honeymoon, the Lovely Susette and I found ourselves in a helicopter riding over glaciers and looking down at such breathtaking beauty that I forgot to be nervous. I have to admit I offered up a prayer before getting into that flying machine as I looked up at the snow and ice covered Alaskan glaciers and the valleys that we would be flying through momentarily. Awesome, but intimidating.
The world looks a whole lot different from the helicopter view. You're totally surrounded by windows, it's like you are floating out there in the air, not like in an airplane where you are looking out of a small window. Also, you fly a little closer to earth for most of the trip in a helicopter than you do in a plane.
It was quite a site and a totally different feeling as that pilot wound his way through those white mountains of ice and you looked down on the frigid waters winding their way through them. Then, we started descending and as the small dots on the top of a glacier came into closer proximity, we discovered they were people. Yes, they were the folks who were going to get into our helicopter, We would be left on top of the glacier.
"Hope they don't forget to come back for us," I remember thinking. It was beautiful up there, but there was no place to get a cheeseburger or even a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Now, the point of all this, is that the world appears different when you look at it through a helicopter view. I remember, in a book I read recently, the author was in an airplane and he looked down at the very small cars and houses that looked to be about the size of those in a game of Monopoly.   As he did so he thought "You know this must be how everything looks to God when he looks down on earth from heaven. From this vantage point you can't tell who are the rich people and who are poor. You can't tell any differences in skin color, hair color, or body size. Those who are in executive positions and the ones who the lowest in the company hierarchy. They all look the same from the helicopter view.
So, here's the big question. What would a helicopter view of your life reveal as you looked down on the different aspects of it? Is your life balanced or overloaded in a certain area(s)? Would you look like one of those ants that are busy rushing from place to place oblivious of anything else except the task of food gathering or ant hill building or whatever their sole purpose of its life is?
Scanning the internet recently I came across an article (http://www.mindtools.com/) that talked about achieving balance in your life. The writer suggested taking a helicopter view, so that you would be looking down and assessing the following areas: a) home/physical environment b) partner, love relationship c) health/fitness d) growth/learning e) career/business/work f) money/finance g) family/friends/social relationships h) recreation i) fun and j) spirituality.
The writer proposed a ‘wheel of life' that had all of those areas in it and the reader was encouraged to rate each area on a scale of 1-10─ low to very high─ to determine where you are in life currently and how balanced or unbalanced your life is. Is there an area that totally dominates the others in terms of effort, attention and time spent? Are there neglected areas. How can these become more balanced.
Rick Warren says, "Blessed are the balanced. They shall outlast everyone." He recommends achieving balance in your spiritual life by organizing the five different purposes to make sure that none of these are being neglected. These purposes, around which he constructed the Purpose Driven Life book are: 1) worship 2) ministry 3) evangelism 4) fellowship and 5) discipleship.
Paul in writing to the Ephesians says "to live life responsibly." To do that we need to have balance in our lives. Maybe you should take a little "helicopter view" kind of inventory. Just rise above the daily grind and take a look at what's going on in your life. In this time of self-assessment review your day, then your week. What did you spend the most time doing? The least time? Look back on the significant accomplishments or disappointments of the past month. Where did the biggies occur? Could spending more or maybe less time on them have produced a different outcome or the same result with less time taken to do it?
In the NLT version of Ephesians 5:16 Paul says to: "Make the most of every opportunity for doing good during these evil days." By calling the days evil he's trying to show just how pervasive evil is. It creeps in, especially when we are unbalanced in our life, because it might enter the area where we are spending less time. It might transform the neglected into the negative. The small hole in the dam, when unnoticed, could open up the way for a flood of problems.
NLT says, "We must keep our standards high, act wisely, and do good whenever we can." Setting high standards is good. Maintaining them is hard. It takes constant vigilance. We need to take that helicopter ride often and objectively view our lives from outside the clutter. Make sure our lives are balanced and that any particular area is not getting out of whack.
When we do that, as Rick Warren says, "the rest of your life can be the best of your life."
Monday Prayer: Lord we pray for your help in striking balance in our lives. It's so easy to get bogged down or consumed with one area of our lives to the disparagement of another. We ask that you help us avoid this by providing a helicopter view of where we are and where we are going. Amen!
***Author's note: So take a helicopter ride this week and view your life from a distance to see what's going on. That will make it easier to achieve the balance that will make you more productive and happier.



Unhappiness is….August 13, 2008 (by Jim Crosby)

I was glad when they said unto me. Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1
"Take a fish and place him on the beach. Watch his gills gasp and scales dry. Is he happy? No! So, how do you make him happy? Do you cover him with a mountain of cash? Do you get him a beach chair and sunglasses? Do you bring him a Playfish magazine and a martini? Do you wardrobe him in double-breasted fins and people skinned shoes?"
"Of course not. Then how do you make him happy? You put him back in his element. You put him back in the water. He will never be happy on the beach simply because he was not made for the beach."
Max Lucado, in his book "When God Whispers Your Name" uses the fish story to illustrate, of all things, "The Gif of Unhappiness." Unhappiness. Who wants it? Doesn't sound like much of a gift to me. I'm sure all that fish could think about was not how unhappy he was, but how happy he would be to just get back in the water where he could breathe again.
So, what is unhappiness and why would it ever, in the farthest stretch of the imagination, be considered a gift? Well, I guess logic would tell us that unhappiness is the absence of happiness or the state of not being happy.
I imagine if you took a poll and asked people what they wanted out of life they would give─ happiness─ as the answer. But, what constitutes happiness would probably bring a wide variety of answers. And the fact is that once you find something, in the world, that makes you happy it is very elusive. It disappears over time. It's hard to hold on to.
Albert Schweitzer was a brilliant man. In fact he was so intelligent that he had this happiness game all figured out. Schweitzer said: "Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory."   Okay, but I guess that leaves out anybody who is having health problems. How could they be happy?
Scottish writer Allan K. Chalmers, disregarded the health issue and put it this way: "The grand essentials of happiness are something to do, something to love and something to hope for." So, accepting that theory would mean while health problems could make someone unhappy that still gives him something to hope for...better health which is one of those essentials. Now if he or she has something or someone to love, and something to do...Bingo! Instant happiness, right?
Well, remember how we talked about how fleeting happiness, in worldly terms, can be? Anybody who thinks that he can go out and find lasting happiness and searches for it among people, places and things is probably on a wild goose chase.
A few years back, I don't remember how many, there was a little book called "Happiness is." It was just full of cute little ideas that made you smile. Things like: "Happiness is a crackling fire on a cold wintry day."   or "Happiness is a day at the beach." "Happiness is hitting a home run." "Happiness is popcorn, a movie, and a friend to watch it with." Sure, all of those things are nice. Any of them could make you happy...momentarily. But, how about when the fire goes out, it rains on the beach, you have to bat again, and the movie ends? Then, there is a let down. You could feel sad and when you are sad it is hard to be happy.
Max Lucado says that unhappiness really is a gift because it makes you dissatisfied with where you are or what's going on. It makes you want to better your situation so you can be happy. Unhappiness is good when it spurs us on to achieve bigger and better things in our lives.
But Max says, "You will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But, they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead. "
Ecclesiastes 3:10 says: "God has planted eternity in the hearts of men." So we will always be longing for something beyond what we have, at present, to make us happy. Still, as Max pointed out there will be those times of happiness, as fleeting as they may be.
I think God wants us to enjoy those times to the max (as in maximum, not Lucado.) Happy times are a gift from God. But, unhappiness is a gift also because, as believers, we know those times won't last. We can see the rainbow beyond the storm. We know that eventually everything will be all right. We think eternally instead of temporarily.
One of the things that helps me in the quest for happiness is going to church. As the Psalmist said, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." It is there I find the focus on God's love and am reminded that He will strengthen us for the battle. In church, I come to the realization that any unhappiness I feel is a gift because it strengthens me and prepares my heart for even greater joy and celebration.
Remember how Job suffered through a long period of unhappiness as God allowed Satan to try to break his will? But, ultimately his faith was rewarded and his life became a place of even greater joy.
In these devotions over the past few months I have referred to our newly forming church Good Samaritan UMC and how it began as a dream. We saw it as the Church of God's Dreams. Well, those dreams have been fulfilled. This month we move into our first building. The times of unhappiness, when we didn't know how we would make it, have now been transformed into a celebration of God's goodness. We now have the gift of being happy.
So we are truly glad when they say "let us go into the house of Lord." Each time we do so, we are reminded how strong God's gift of happiness is and how it has trumped unhappiness again.
Prayer: Lord we have trouble viewing unhappiness as a gift, but when we put our faith and trust in you, we know this is only preparing us for your ultimate, eternal gift. Amen!
***Author's note: God is good. We are constantly reminded of that even in times of sadness and difficulty. Those gifts of unhappiness are always defeated in the hearts of the believers.





God Things (August 6, 2008) by Jim Crosby

And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.                             Psalm 50:15
In any sport, the coach wants to have a "go-to-guy" on his team. In life we feel great despair if we don't have a go-to-guy/gal to turn to when the going gets tough.
A go-to-guy is the one who wants to have the responsibility when the game is on the line. If the game is going to be won or lost by one particular situation in a game the go-to-guy wants to be the one on the hot seat...the one who bring about victory.
The go-to-guy wants to be at-bat in the bottom of the 9^th inning with his team trailing by two runs, with two outs and two men on base and to take it a step farther, with two strikes on the batter. He doesn't even think about failing. His mind is focused on hitting the three-run, walk-off homer that wins the game.
The wide-receiver, who will out-run, out-jump and out-fight the defenders to come down with that game winning, fourth-down, pass is the go-to-guy.
The basketball player, who wants the ball, as the final seconds are ticking off the clock and his or her team needs a three-point shot to win, is the go-to-guy.
The person who is there for you at 2 a.m. when you are troubled and need to talk is your go-to-guy.
We all have a go-to-guy. Rev. James Nicodem (Prayer Coach, Crossway Books) says, with no irreverence intended, that God is the Go-to-Guy. As proof we point to Psalm 50:15. "And call on me in your day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will honor me."
What is it about God that He will do this for us, no matter how lax we have been in considering what His desires for us are? Nicodem says, "God loves doing God things." Being a go-to-guy is a God thing.
No we are not setting ourselves up to be a God when become go-to-people. But, we are becoming more godly. We are trying to emulate him in doing God-pleasing things. When our hearts are right he will appoint and anoint us to help do His work. One of the ways we can actually do God Things is by being a go-to-guy. Just being someone who will listen; who will have empathy, sympathy, and will help when help is needed is the main thing for a go-to-guy.
Sometimes the listening part is all the other person needs. Sometimes physical or financial help is part of the need. Maybe they are looking for advice, a second opinion, or a confirmation that they are on the right track. As the go-to-guy you might, in their best interest, in a loving way, tell them that you don't think they are doing the right thing.
My go-to-guy is a gal. The Lovely Susette is the one I turn to when I need moral support, advice, a listening ear, some TLC, or just to gain some piece of mind. Usually I have gone to my Go-to-Guy Above first and often He directs me to her.
At times I may need another male's opinion. Might be out of the range of Susette's knowledge (she knows a lot, but not everything). Or it might be something that men experience, but women don't, or a least in the same manner. So, it's good to have friends of both sexes, who can serve as go-to-people.
That's one of the reasons I think it is so important to be involved in a church. In the church environment, you will usually find folks who care about you and will help you work through things. As you worship together and do God's work together there is usually a special camaraderie formed that is unlike any you would find in a more secular setting.
We are all human and subject to making mistakes or having a misguided opinion. Not everybody in your church or your Sunday School Class or Bible Study Group is the best person to serve as your go-to-guy. Maybe some would be a good go-to-guy in a certain situation and not as proficient in another. Here's where praying for a discerning mind is needed.
Nevertheless, you always have a Go-to-Guy in God. Praying to Him is a good way to admit your need for help and to receive His assistance. Nicodem says, "Prayer is helplessness plus faith."
In a recent talk I pointed out the paradox of becoming strong in God. You have to become weak to get strong. When you admit your weaknesses and turn them over to God, he gives you His strength to make it through the situation or the crisis you are facing. That's the God Thing. That's what He really loves to do.
There is lots of scriptural proof that God is our Go-to-Guy in all kinds of situations:
When we are discouraged: John 14:27 says: "Peace I leave with you, My piece I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
When we are depressed: Psalm 34:17 "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And delivers them."
When we are worried: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
When we are dissatisfied: Psalm 107:9 "For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness."
When we feel condemned; Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins."
When we are confused: Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."
When we are tempted: 2Peter 2:9 a "Then, the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations."
When we are angry: Ephesians 4:31,32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
When we are afraid: Psalm 56:11 " In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid."
Those are the God things...the things He loves to do that make Him the Go-to-Guy in any kind of situation.
Monday Prayer: Thank you Lord for always being there for us. We know we can always go to you for every need. Amen!
Author's note: My thanks to Dr. Larry Thompson, FBC, Ft. Lauderdale, for the little 100 Year Anniversary book that is chock full of God's promises to us for every need.


Abundance Denial (July 30, 2008) Jim Crosby

I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is.      Ephesians 4:17-18
"No one ever made an itch go away by getting really good at scratching!"
That's what John Ortberg's grandmother told him as she applied calamine lotion to a bunch of chigger bites he had incurred. As he discovered, scratching the itch felt good and made it go away momentarily, but it did not defeat it. The itch came back, with even greater force, as those bites became welts and began to spread. More expert scratching had no effect. It took a healing application to cure the itch.
John had been taking the" more is better" approach. More scratching would surely make the itch go away, wouldn't it? No, it wouldn't. He found out the hard way that a different solution was required.   An abundance of scratching would not, in the long run, work no matter how good it felt instantaneously and what immediate relief it brought. That solution would be short-lived. Only getting to the root of the infection and curing that would provide the long-range solution he needed.
That's a good example of what is going on in our society today. It's an endless quest for more. We've been scratching the itch for quite awhile, only to discover it won't go away. It threatens to consume us and we have to apply the calamine lotion called "abundance denial" to heal it.
The Lovely Susette and I are discovering, in these difficult economic times for all, that there are areas in which we need a "calamine lotion." It has probably come as a shock to many that decisions need to be made in this different economy as to what is necessary and what we could do without, if we had to.
First, let's look at the evolution of this kind of thinking. Ortberg (When the Game is Over, it All Goes Back in the Box) refers to research done by social theorist Greg Easterbrook. He proposes a theory called, "abundance denial, in which millions of men and women construct elaborate mental rationales for considering themselves materially deprived and, in so doing, only succeed in increasing their unhappiness."
He compared two polls taken in which Americans listed items they considered to be necessities. The first poll was taken in 1970. The second in 2000.   In 1970, 20% of those polled rated having a second car as a necessity. In 2000, 59% said it was. Back in '70 only 3% said that a second TV was a necessity. In 2000, 45% thought it was.
More than one phone in 1970 was important to only 2%, but in 2000, 78% had to have at least one more phone. During that thirty year span those who considered car air conditioning a necessity increased from 11% to 65%. And in '70, 8% thought they should have a dishwasher while 44% considered it necessary in 2000.
So it is easy to see how the abundance of necessary things has changed our thinking over the years. Frankly, I can't think of a thing on that list I would want to give up, if I didn't have to. Are there some things on that list that I could do without if I absolutely had to? Well, uh...I don't want to talk about it.:)
Truthfully, I think if each of us made an honest appraisal of where the fluff is in our economic mindset and where adjustments need to be made, we probably wouldn't have to eliminate any of the things on that list.Gosh, I bet even the Government could make an analysis of the billions of dollars that are spent and find that "abundance denial" would be a very effective strategy. Nah, we couldn't ask politicians to make those kind of hard decisions, could we?
But, if we take a little time to meditate on this we'll find that having "more" will not bring with it instant happiness. Oh, getting something that we really want; a new computer with all the latest bells-and-whistles; a gorgeous new dress to wear to parties; a 2009 model car that will be the envy of the neighborhood, even though the old one was running just fine; makes us happy. But it's temporary. A newer, fancier computer will come along as will a more beautiful dress and fancier, late model car. Then, the old "want-to's" will kick in again and we'll feel that we must own the latest. We will rationalize why we need it. We deserve it! We must have it!
Truthfully, the main thing that we can't have enough of and never have to worry about accumulating more than we need, is an abundance of God's love in our hearts. You see, God's love is total. We already have an abundance of it whether we recognize it or not.
As Paul says, "It reaches every corner of our experience. It is wide─covering the breadth of our own experience and reaching out to the entire world. God's love is long─it continues the entire length of our lives. It is high─it rises to the heights of our celebration and elation. His love is deep─it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair and even death. When you feel shut our or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to God's love." (NLT pg. 1876).
Snoopy was lying on his back on his doghouse at Thanksgiving and was grumbling to himself about having only dog food to eat while everyone else was inside cramming themselves with turkey and dressing. Then, he happened to think. Hey, it could be worse. I could have been born a turkey." Ortberg says that contentment can be learned and one of the short routes to that end is to use Snoopy's logic. Think and say, "It could be worse" whenever we are tempted to think we are being deprived and forced into abundance denial.
One thing is certain. We'll never have to deny an abundance of God's love. It is always there in whatever quantities we truly need.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the abundance of your love and it's never-ending supply. A well that never runs dry. A comfort in times of trouble and a joy in times of plenty. We give you the praise and glory and thanks for this marvelous gift. Amen!
***Author's note: Abundance denial...determining what we really need and what is marginal and unnecessary is never easy. With God's help the analysis becomes clearer, the solutions more obvious, and the results more rewarding.


It’s Tempting… (July 23, 2008) by Jim Crosby

God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.     1 Corinthians 10:13(NLT)
"Don't ever try to argue with the Devil. He's better at arguing than you are, having had thousands of years to practice," says Rick Warren.
So, how do we keep from giving in to those things that are wrong, but are made to look very tempting by the Evil One? Obviously he is a master of disguises. We are told to resist the Devil, but how do we do it?
Even the Lord's Prayer says, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Obviously, God is not going to tempt us to do wrong. But, will He allow us to be tempted? Yes! Why? I don't know. But, I do know that He allowed His only Son to be tempted, so why should He spare us?
Of course He will keep His promise on that second part--the deliver-us-from-evil part. In 1 Corinthians Paul says that God will keep the temptation from being so strong that you can't withstand it. You will be able to handle, but you have to do just that...handle it. You have to make the effort and God will equip you to defeat it.
Now, about Jesus being tempted. He set the example for us because as Hebrews 4:15 says, "Jesus has been tempted in every way, just as we are ---yet was without sin." Oh, so that's the catch. We've already sinned. No matter how hard we try we keep on sinning.
Remember how Paul says, in frustration in Romans (7:15) "I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead I do the very thing I hate." Been there! Done that! Right?
Sometimes we do something, uh...stupid and think now "Why did I do that." It's like the picture I saw recently of Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic section. Charlie is just lying on his back, looking up at the sky, and saying.   Why? Why? Why? Why? Why do we do these things. Obviously the devil made us do it, right?
Well, we can look to Jesus example and say as Reverend Charles Nicodem does in ─"Prayer Coach" ─ how can Jesus possibly understand our predicament? He never slipped. He never gave in to fleshly impulse. He always resisted temptation to sin. "No doubt sin was nothing more than a minor irritation to Him."
Not so. Nicodem says, "Why do we assume, because Jesus never yielded to temptation, that temptation was not as big a challenge to Him as it is to us?" He points out that Hebrews 2:18 says: "Jesus suffered when He was tempted."
The reason Jesus suffered was because he never gave in. He was going "toe-to-toe" with Satan himself and He never, never gave in. Let's face it. Sometimes the way we end the suffering that comes with temptation is that we give in to it. Finally, we get it off our back. We just do it. We tell off that jerk, who deserved it anyway. Don't know what that does for our Christian witness, but by golly we did it. We put him/her in their place. Okay! Then we may suffer even more later, when we regret what we did,
Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life) presents a good idea for handling temptation without giving in to it. He says that trying to resist a thought doesn't do any good. The more we concentrate on not giving in to it, the more that tempting thought becomes ingrained in our minds and "strengthens its allure." It becomes more appealing. It is harder, then almost impossible to get rid of it, so eventually we succumb to it. We give in. Satan wins again.
But, Warren says that since temptation always begins with a thought, just turn your attention to something else. "Don't fight the thought, just change the channel of your mind and get interested in another idea. This is the first step in defeating temptation."
You know when a baby or a toddler is crying uncontrollably and you can't figure out why? Usually the first thing you do is try to change her attention. You make funny faces. You dangle a colorful toy in front of him. You play hide-and-go-seek by putting your hand over her eyes and saying, "Where did Susie go?" Then, you pull your hand away and say "there she is." Then, you do it again, and again, and again until you've refocused the child's thinking and stopped the crying. Gosh, am I glad our kids are grown! But, I'm not forgetting that little technique because of the potential for grand-children later on.
So, since we are being manipulated by Satan, we just turn the tables and redirect our thinking. Oh, he won't give in easily. He'll be back. But, the more you block out his temptations, by thinking about something else, the more likely it is that the length of time between temptations will increase. After all the old guy has bigger fish to fry that putting up with your stubborn resistance based on transforming thoughts. "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. (Today's English Version Bible).
Sometimes the struggle might just be too hard. Then it's time to reveal your struggle to a trusted friend or a support group. Don't have to let the whole world in on it, just someone, with no agenda, who cares about you and is willing to help you defeat the temptation. All of us have sinned. We all fight the same kinds of temptations.
But, when you win one, don't get cocky. Overconfidence breeds vulnerability. You must always be on-guard and use all the means at your disposal to combat temptations that will bee harmful in the long run.
The good news is that "problems are the playing field for the wisdom of God to be displayed" (Blessing Your Spirit) So don't despair. Just remember God will help. As the Bible promises: "When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."
Prayer: Lord, we confess our weakness and inability to handle temptation alone. When we are tempted help us to change our thoughts and focus on what you reveal to us through prayer. Amen!
***Author's note: Stay alert, be faithful, resist evil temptations. Then, who knows, maybe you'll be tempted to do good things.

The Praying Field (July 16, 2008) by Jim Crosby

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.   Luke 11:1
So you believe in prayer. You pray often. You pray for your family, friends and yourself. You have many examples of answered prayer in your life. In short, you know that prayer works.
Still, there are times when you just can't get into your prayer mode. You want to pray. You feel the need to pray, but frankly you just can't think of anything to say to God. It's frustrating because you know there are many areas where you need help. There are others you want to intercede for who need help as well, but you just can't get into it. You feel bad, in fact, you even feel guilty because you just can't come up with the words to say to God to express your current needs or those of others.
Maybe you even have a set time that you pray and meditate. You are faithful to keep this appointment with the Heavenly Father and most of the time you flow easily into prayer during this quiet time. But, it is still frustrating because there are times, maybe they occur seldom, but they do sometimes happen, when you just can't get into it.
You are like the wide receiver who runs the wrong pass pattern. He breaks one way and the pass goes where he was supposed to be to another area. Maybe it even goes to a defender who makes an interception. You are on the playing field, but did not get the job done.
Perhaps you have a sales presentation to make and a lot of other activities, maybe an excess of meetings, or family obligations, or social events preclude your putting together an impressive sale-obtaining package. You have to wing it and you don't do it well. You don't make the sale. You are on the playing field, but you feel like a failure.
There are also times in your prayers when you just think, God must find this boring. I'm just saying the same old things. I'm even bored with it. I'm not having to think about what I'm saying. It's just a rote expression of familiar things.
We have all been there. I think everyone experiences times when they are on the "Praying Field" and either can't find the words to communicate with the Lord or what you they are saying sounds flat, uncreative and expressionless to their own ears.
Let me share a few things that might help. These are designed to get you back in the game. Suggestions to help you defeat the Prayer Busters, those things that are obstacles block your attempts to experience effective and meaningful prayer. These may put creativity and excitement back into the "Praying Field" for you and get you back in the game.
Recently I came across a neat little book that offered some helpful suggestions. It's called: Prayer Coach: For all who want to get off the bench and onto the praying field. (Crossway Books, 2008). The author is James L. Nicodem, senior pastor of Christ Community Church in St. Charles, Illinois, a church that started in 1984 with six couples and now has 4,000 members. What attracted me to the book was the Foreword that was written by my favorite football coach, Bobby Bowden.

One of his suggestions, let's call it, "praying the fruits." In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul lists the "fruit of the spirit." They are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Nicodem suggests that a good way to break through the doldrums and into meaningful prayer might be to pray a fruit. In other words, simply ask the Lord to show you what you need most that day. "Is it gentleness? Okay take away my inclination to be harsh with others. Don't let my speech be filled with sarcasm. Remind me of how gentle you have been with me─like a shepherd with a little lamb."
Before you can focus on the particular fruit that will help most in your struggles that day, you must know what the fruits are. So spending a little time memorizing them before you use this prayer strategy would be good. Or just write all nine of them on a 3x5 card and keep it near the place you go to pray. Then as you ask Him for help, focus on the one that jumps out at you and pray for help in that area.
I find this a very appealing way to pray. But, why do I feel like old "Patience" is going to jump off that card and dominate my prayer many times?
Another way of getting into a meaningful prayer mode is to "Pray the Armor."   In Ephesians 6:13-17 Paul lists the protective suit of "believer's armor" that God gives us effectively battle sinfulness in our lives.
These six are: 1) the belt of truth 2) the breastplate of righteousness 3) the helmet of salvation 4) the shoes of the gospel 5) the shield of faith and 6) the sword of the Spirit. Examples from the book: "belt of truth: I want to be honest today, Lord. Characterized by your truth. Help me to walk in integrity─to be the same in private as I am in public. Keep me from using deceitful words." As you go through and pray for the protection that each piece of this believer's armor provides your prayer will take on new meaning as God reveals exciting things to you.
Praying the "parts" is another way to do some creative and effective praying that will aid your communication with the Heavenly Father. By parts Nicodem means "body parts." You can pray to enlist divine help by specifically addressing each part of your body. "Lord, I give you my feet today. (stamp your feet for emphasis) These feet have taken me some places where I shouldn't have gone. But, now I ask you to use them to carry me into situations where I can serve others or share Christ." Do the same with your hands, tongue, eyes, ears, and most especially your heart."
Of course there are many other good ways to achieve breakthroughs in prayer. You can recite the Lord's Prayer, pausing at each part to see if the Lord wants to reveal something special to you. In a previous devotion we talked about the Lecto Divina, a method of experiencing God's presence in scripture and prayer. In this method you take a portion of scripture, read it aloud, and meditate on what you feel God is revealing to you. Could be a sentence, paragraph, thought or a word. Then you read it again slowly for further enlightenment. It is a good way to get in touch with the Lord through prayer and scripture and can be as different each time as the scripture you choose.
So, if you've been benched because of prayer busters, simply try one of these methods and get back on the Praying Field.
Prayer: Lord thank you for the variety of ways you make available to communicate with you and keep our lives on the right path. Help us to stay excited about all the possibilities that are present when we put effort and creativity into our prayer time. Amen!
***Author's note: Prayer is an exciting and powerful tool for victorious living. It pays to use any means at your disposal to keep it fresh and effective in your life.

Keeping Score (July 9, 2008) by Jim Crosby

After he had taken the census, David's conscience began to bother him. And he said to the Lord, "I have sinned greatly and shouldn't have taken the census." Please forgive me, Lord, for doing this foolish thing. 2 Samuel: 24:10
I remember when our son was playing T-Ball. It was his first experience playing on a sports team. In T-ball there was no scoreboard and the League rules stated that teams didn't keep score.
Okay, if nobody is keeping score why would you often hear a parent yell something like, "Come on Billy get a hit. We need this run!" If nobody is keeping score why did they need a run?
"Let's go Bobby, just one run will tie the game." Oops. How did they know that? Shame on him/her. Somebody is being bad. They are keeping score. Better penalize them a run. Take one off of the scoreboard. Wait a minute. How can you take a run off the scoreboard when there isn't one and nobody is keeping score anyway. Yuk! Yuk!
Really, you have to forgive those folks because we are a society of scorekeepers. We can't help it. Keeping score is how we measure success. If we don't know the score, how can we tell if we are winning or losing? How do we determine if we are making progress or not? Are we getting better, worse, or staying the same?
To know the answers to these things we've got to have numbers. We must quantify it to qualify it. Putting a number beside it let's us know if it's big, little or in-between.
David became a scorekeeper when he decided to take a census of his army. He wanted to find out how big the army was. If he came across an enemy with lots of troops then he would know just what he had available. God didn't like it.
What was wrong with this? Well, David's census was the same as drafting people into the army. The NLT says: "The land was now at peace, so there was no need to enlist troops. Israel had extended its borders and become a recognized power. David's sin was pride and ambition in counting the people so that he could glory in the size of his army, its power and defenses. By doing this, he put his faith in the size of his army rather than in God's ability to protect them regardless of their number."
So, did God take runs off the board for David's illegal scorekeeping? Yes! He certainly did. Here's what happened. The Lord sent a prophet to David to tell him that he would be punished, but He would be given choices from which to could choose one.
"Will you choose three years of famine throughout the land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and let me know." (2 Samuel 24:13).
That's like the president of the T-ball league going to the offending, scorekeeping parent and saying. "Okay, everybody knows you've been keeping score in the games, so you must be punished. Choose one of the following three: 1) Be banned from attending all your son's games for the next three years 2) Don't come to any of the games practices or the end of the year trophy presentation in the next three months 3) You and your son miss the next three games. It's your choice."
David chose the three days of plague. But, when we do wrong things they not only affect us, but the lives of others as well. In David's case the plague that the Lord sent as punishment was so severe that 70,000 people died throughout the nation. Finally, the Lord relented and called off the angel of death he had sent. So, because of David's scorekeeping mistake many lives were lost.
David knew that God's punishment would be severe, but he chose it anyway. He figured that being punished by God was preferable to being punished without him. If he had taken one of the other two choices, God would have withdrawn His support. He trusted God's mercy more than he trusted men.
So, the baseball Dad chooses missing three games. Even though his son is innocent of the scorekeeping charge he can't play in those games either. He's doing the time along with his Dad. But, since his Dad feels bad about it he schedules some other fun things like swimming or going to the movies at the same time the games are being played. Both, would rather be at the game, but they get through it together and still spend some quality time with each other.
Although we value scorekeeping God doesn't. At least it is not a high priority with Him. There is a place for tallying up the positive things. That's all right to do when you turn around and give thanks to the One who made those victories possible.
T-ballers are just learning the game of baseball and what being on a team feels like and most of all they are supposed to have fun. If some scorekeeping parent is putting pressure on a kid, it could destroy all that. Feeling that he let his team or his parents down is no fun at all.
At the small group conference I attended that was presented by Saddleback Church, Rick Warren in telling their success story having grown from a group of just two couples to a mega-church with 26,780 people in small groupson four different campuses, says for us not to draw comparisons. He points out that we should to take the lessons that apply and can be used by our church and use them to grow the Kingdom. The point is that if we start comparing ourselves to others...if we are keeping score to be able to pat ourselves on the back---we defeat the purpose. It's not about what the score is, but as Grantland Rice said that the ultimate scorekeeper, the One who really knows the score, in the end won't care if you "won or lost, but how you played the game."
So, keep score when it helps you become better in doing the Lord's work. We can all get better at what we do and when we make sure our efforts are God-approved that score will really look good.
Monday Prayer: We recognize that many of the things we keep score on and stress out over are not important in the long run. So, help us to play the game the way you would have us do it and to leave the important scorekeeping to you   Amen!
Author's note: Obviously we can't avoid scorekeeping. We just have to not let it control us and cause us to make bad decisions. We want to win and when it is done in the right way it can make us better and bring joy to us. The Lord didn't create us to be losers. He wants us to be victorious. Have a great week.




Deferred Hope (July 2, 2008) by Jim Crosby

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the Father of many nations.    Romans 4:18
Basketball coach Sue Semrau (Florida State University) was facing a monumental task. Her basketball team had been ravaged by pain and misfortune. Now she was being called on to take what was left of the team after death, pregnancy, early graduation and other problems to overcome a mountain-size obstacle. She had brought her team into hostile territory to compete against the Florida Gators a team that was at full-strength, much taller and hadn't been beaten by FSU in 13 years.
In the quiet time before the game Coach Sue read about how Abraham believed against all hope, but was faithful and trusting and his deferred hope became hope fulfilled. While reading in a book called "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again" by Dutch Sheets, Sue said the Lord spoke to her spirit specifically about the game. What she heard was Him saying, "Don't worry about the game Sue. You could fall asleep on the bench and still win it." Then, a great sense of peace settled on her and she confidently entered the arena for combat.
What happened on that night was truly remarkable. Sue's Seminoles stampeded their way to a 24-point lead in the first half. They ended up winning by 10 points, but the game was never really close. Hope deferred for 13 years (16 games)...eight under Sue...had become hope realized.
Abraham's hope was deferred even longer. God had told him that he would become the father of nations, but year after year passed by and he did not have a son to keep his ancestral line going at all, much less expand to include many nations.
The Believer's Bible commentary says, "But, contrary to human hope, Abraham believed, in hope, that he would become the father of many nations, just as God had promised. Genesis 15:5. "Then the Lord brought Abraham (called Abram back then) outside beneath the sky and told him, "Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that──too many to count. Commenting on this recently our Pastor Betsy Ouellette pointed out that in the desert, especially back in OT times, since there were no electric lights or any of the things we now have that clutter up the view, Abraham looked up into the sky at night and saw millions of stars."
That promise gave Abraham great hope. But, it became deferred hope year after year as his wife Sarah was unable to have a son. When he reached 100 years of age it seemed like an impossibility that he would have a son and live long enough to raise him. Hope deferred began to seem like hope denied. Still, there was this promise that God made. Had He forgotten about it? Certainly not. God never forgets anything.
Abraham kept the faith, just as God knew he would. That's why He chose him to become the Father of many nations including the one that His own Son would be born into. So, when God's timing and man's timing finally intersected the promise was fulfilled. Sarah gave birth to a boy who they named Isaac. Then Isaac's son Jacob, renamed Israel, would become the father of the 12 tribes of the Hebrew nation.
It is an old familiar Biblical story which is worth revisiting because it is a great example of how deferred hope can sometimes be delayed for many years, but God is faithful to live up to His promises.
In an earlier devotion we talked about Coach Mike Martin and his sermon delivered to our church, Good Samaritan UMC, earlier in the year. He talked about team building and the sacrifices that must be made and how individual glory must be subverted for the good of the team so everyone could experience success.
The hope deferred for Coach Martin is to win a College World Series and to become National Champions in baseball. This year seemed to be the year. His team won more games than any other college team and led the nation in hitting. All American catcher Buster Posey, despite all the awards and attention received, remained unselfish and team oriented as they headed to Omaha, in hopes that this would be the year.
But, it wasn't. It was as the saying goes, "Oh (zero) and two and Barbecue" for the Seminoles. Translated that means that in a double elimination tournament FSU lost the only two games they played and headed home. Hope deferred had become hope demolished. But not completely and only for the current year. Next year a brand new season will provide new hope and new opportunity.
I mention the baseball story because it is an ongoing, current story of hope deferred. Because of the talent level the Seminoles assemble each year it just seems like a matter of time before they get the ultimate victory. Meanwhile Coach Martin remains strong in the faith. He looks for guidance from above.
During the Regional tournament the Lord, through team chaplain Clint Purvis, directed the Coach, after his team had been knocked into the loser's bracket, to Psalm 50:15. "Trust me in your times of trouble and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." The team came through the tournament the hard way and won.
Then, the same thing happened in the Super Regional, which they had to win to make it to the CWS. While struggling through the loser's bracket Martin read Exodus 14:14. "The Lord himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense." They won again. The hope of getting back to the CWS which had been deferred for 8 years was now fulfilled.
Am I saying that all you have to do when you are beset with hope deferred is to open the Bible, discover the appropriate scripture and it will all work out. Not necessarily, but it is a good starting place.   The Lord reveals a lot of things to us through his Word and through prayer as well. But, He also works in many other ways...mysterious ways.
Staying strong in faith and open to the unfolding of God's plan in your life is important. It is key to understanding how He will use these mysterious ways so that deferred hope can become hope fulfilled.
Monday Prayer: Lord thank you for deferred hope and your faithfulness to turn it into good things in our lives. Amen!
***Author's note-I like the term deferred hope. It speaks of the potential that has not yet been realized for God to do great things in our lives. Have a great week. :)

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Fat Cats (September 1, 2010) by Jim Crosby

What to Wear (August 25, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Joshua’s Game Plan (August 18, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Proverbially Yours (August 11, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Like-O-Meter (August 4, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Following the Recipe (July 28, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Lazy Days (July 14, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Taste Test (June 30, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Faith (June 23, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Dash of Your Life (June 16, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Figuring God Out (June 9, 2010) by Jim Crosby

A Spirited Approach (June 2, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Deep Sigh Comfort (May 26, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Nemesis (May 19, 2010) by Jim Crosby

First Things First (May 12, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Coaching Yourself (May 5, 2010) by Jim Crosby

“Haters” (April 28, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Casting Your Net- April 21, 2010 (by Jim Crosby)

God’s Timing (April 14, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Sharpest Crayon (April 7, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Stormy Weather (March 31, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Trouble Will Pass (March 24, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Small Beginnings (March 17, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Moviegoer’s Bible ( March 10, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Stinkin’ Thinkin’- March 3, 2010 (by Jim Crosby)

The Best Version of You (February 24, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Challenge of Winning (February 17, 2010) by Jim Crosby

The Strength You Have (February 10, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Can’t Never Could (February 3, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Changing the World (January 27, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Lofty Expectations (January 20, 2010) by Jim Crosby

Begin at the Beginning-January 13, 2010 by Jim Crosby

A Patient New Year (January 6, 2010) – Jim Crosby

After the Celebration (December 30, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Empty Stocking (December 23, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Lights of Christmas (December 16, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Following the Star (December 9, 2009) by Jim Crosby

It’s Your Life (December 2, 2009) by Jim Crosby

High-Fiving Moments-November 18, 2009 (Jim Crosby)

Thankfulness, 2009-November 25, 2009 by Jim Crosby

Jesus (November 11, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Too Goofy to be God? (November 4, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Expecting the Unexpected (October 28, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Pocket Time (October 21, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Is God Nodding Your Way? (October 14, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Finding God- (October 7, 2009) by Jim Crosby

A Powerful Resource (September 30, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Enjoying the Now (September 23, 2009) by Jim Crosby

100 Days of SOAP (September 16, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Benchwarmers (September 9, 2009 (by Jim Crosby)

Leap then Look (September 2, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Carrying the Ball (August 26, 2009) by Jim Crosby

God Being God (August 19, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Humpty Dumpties (August 12, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Enjoying the Ride (August 5, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Whisper (July 29, 2009) by Jim Crosby

No Superstars (July 22, 2009)- by Jim Crosby

To Tell the Truth (July 15, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Get the Drift (July 7, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Boaz or Bozo?-June 24, 2009 (by Jim Crosby)

Don’t Disengage Your Brain (June 17, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Veneer or Solid Oak (June 10, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The Big 10-June 3, 2009 by Jim Crosby

Pay Scales and Playing Scales (May 27, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The YAH (May 20, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Does God Ever Refuse to Hear Prayer? (May 13, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Encouragement (May 6, 2009) by Jim Crosby

A Season of New Hope (April 29, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Pressed for Time (April 22, 2009 by Jim Crosby

Darkness and Light (April 15, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Flooded Out (April 8, 2009) by Jim Crosby

Indicators (April 1, 2009) by Jim Crosby

What in the World are You Thinking About? (March 25, 2009)

From Bad to Good (March 18, 2009) by Jim Crosby

The 93 Million (March 11, 2009)- Jim Crosby

The Writer (March 4, 2009) by Jim Crosby