Yesterday, I spoke on the topic of fasting. I want to give you the concluding part of my message where I presented a challenge to fast as well as the reasons to fast. Here is what I said:

Option One: Give up one meal each week for the next three weeks.

Option Two: Give up all meals for one day during the next three weeks.  (more…)

I want to encourage you to check out Tommy Morelock’s new blog! Tommy is our Student Ministries Pastor at River Oaks. He has a great heart for students and the entire River Oaks ministry and I am so thankful that he is on our ministry team. I think you will enjoy what he has to say.

Tim

I want to pass a story along to you that I read this morning.

Some years ago a man in his sixties was offered nearly $200,000 for a restaurant-motel-service station business that he’d spent his life building up. He turned the offer down because he love the business and wasn’t ready to retire just yet.

Two years later, at the age of sixty-five, he was flat broke with no income to support him except his monthly Social Security check each month. The reason for his financial misfortune was due to the state building a new highway that bypassed his business, and he lost it.

Instead of giving up, he geared up. The one thing he knew how to do was fry chicken. He kissed his wife good-bye and with a battered old car, a pressure cooker and a can of specially prepared flour, set out to sell his recipe to other restaurants. It was tough going and he often slept in the car because there wasn’t enough money for a hotel room.

A few years later this man had built a nationwide franchised restaurant chain called Kentucky Fried Chicken. The man was Colonel Sanders.

A good story to lift the spirits of anyone thinking “I’m too old or it’s too late.” Maybe not.

Tim

This morning I drove to Panera Bread for my morning coffee and bagel. I was looking forward to a reflective walk before going into the office. As I was leaving Panera, this banner caught my eye and I took a picture of it. I love those words. I don’t know what Panara intended to communicate, but for me those words got me thinking about God’s work in my life and how he faithfully refreshes my spirit after an intense ministry day, he graciously offers me a restart when I fail and he renews my mind through his Word.

My mind went to Psalm 23:1-3, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside the peaceful streams. He renews my strength.”

I hope today you have a chance to go to your “meadow or stream” and experience a bit of refreshment, a restart or renewal as you spend a little time with the Shepherd.

Tim

Yesterday I said I would let you know today what I applauded God for. Well here it is – three early spring flowers that are just beginning to pop up outside the entrance to Kid’s World! I went for a short walk this morning around the church grounds and as I was coming back inside the building, I spotted them! I stood there staring and smiling. With snow piles all around, there these little two inch crocuses were growing in all their beauty. I applauded God for his creativity and faithfulness.

I hope you see some sign of God’s creativity and handiwork today. Look for it!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good…” Psalm 118:29

Tim

Leonardo da Vinci once commented that the average person “looks without seeing, listens without hearing, touches without feeling, eats without tasting, and inhales without awareness of odor or fragrance.” He is absolutely right. I’m guilty as charged.

Not so Nikola Tesla. Tesla is the person who was given the U.S. patent for alternating current – the power system that supplies our homes with access to electrical power via outlets. It is said that during thunder storms Tesla would sit on a couch near a window in his home. Every time lightning struck and thunder clapped, he would rise to his feet and applaud God.

Today I’m going to keep my eyes and ears open for an opportunity to applaud God. It may be something I take notice of in the natural world, it may be the taste of some food I eat tonight at supper, it may be a providential act of God in my life or someone else’s, but before I go to sleep tonight I intend to applaud God for his creativity, care, beauty or kindness. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you what it was. I invite you to join me and be awed by God by looking, listening, touching, eating, or inhaling and I would love to hear from some of you what made you Give God a standing ovation.

Tim

Here is a great story from Fil Anderson’s book, Running on Empty.

An investment banker from a large city was vacationing in a delightful North Carolina coastal town. Standing on a small pier late one afternoon, he watched as a lone fisherman docked his small boat. Inside the boat were several large yellowtail tuna.

The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The local replied, “Only a little while.”

The banker then asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” (more…)

That phrase comes from Exodus 14:14. Moses and the Hebrews had just left Egypt and were standing at the shore of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army chasing them. The situation looked hopeless. This is what Moses said, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today…the Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

Those are great words for anyone feeling trapped, anxious or worried over their current situation. I know that God expects us to do what we can, but sometimes we can’t do anything more and that is when these words remind us that God is perfectly capable of parting the waters for us.

My prayer is for any of you who are in a tough spot right now; whether it has to do with your finances, a relationship, a job, a boss, a major decision, or whatever; that you will heed the counsel of Moses to “not be afraid, just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you…just stay calm.”

Tim