Looks like we have jumped to summer, at least for a day or two. However, my summer-time plans to get out and work in the yard, gave way to a “lazy summer afternoon nap.” I will wait until tomorrow to do some yard work, the weather is suppose to be good all week.

While at yesterday’s event I was part of a group picture of some of the Larimer County GOP Executive Committee. In the picture is State Senator Kevin Lundberg and in the background we caught U.S. Senator Cory Gardner and State Senator Mark Scheffel  and State Senator Chris Holbert from Douglas County.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Think before you speak, and don’t make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don’t say any more than you have to. The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.”             Ecclesiastes 5:2,3

Having a background in ministry and politics, “words” become an occupational hazard. They often confuse more than clarify. They can be taken out of context or may lack the context  you have on your mind. Sometimes your words are too many and for others they can be too few. I recall when a “trick question” was asked me when I was a school board candidate in one of my first elected offices. The question was something like, “since you are a pastor, do you believe in the separation of church and state and does serving on the school board place you in a position of conflict?” My answer was, “yes and no.” The response was, “can you elaborate?” My response, “do I need to?” I actually did give a response. But it reminded me how the Pharisees tried to trick “Jesus with their words.”

Before I use too many words to discuss “words” let’s consider the words of Solomon. Solomon advises giving careful consideration before you make promises to God. He is basically saying, “remember who God is.” God knows your heart and He knows that future. He knows whether you are insincere or not and knows if you are getting in over your head. There are some comical illustrations of this concept, but one of the saddest is a real one. I recall when my children were in College they learned of a student who really prayed to the Lord and promised if He provided money for college, she would go. The Lord did provide a large sum of money to the young person, but she did not continue in her college education and was struggling in her life. Life tends to not go well when we treat with contempt, the provision of the Lord.

Think before you speak! That is good advice. But difficult to do, I find it more fun to “just shoot from the hip.” This give me wife job security in doing “damage control.” Debbie (who doesn’t have a weight problem) shared a FaceBook post with me that reported, “Women who weigh a few extra pounds tend to live longer, than the men who point them out!” I’m glad my longevity is secure.

Solomon then points out a cause and effect relationship between ” excess worry” and “excess words.” Our minds do impact our ability to rest. On Friday night, I thought through and memorized my invocation for the following day while I slept or was trying to sleep. Anxiety during the day, difficult decisions that confront us tend to impact our ability to sleep. Some guidelines from the Mayo Clinic on how to “get a good night of sleep” includes,

“Manage stress – When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace, consider healthy ways to manage stress.” (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/)

The Lord promises rest to those who “come to Him” (Matthew 11:28) and to those who “abide in His presence.” (Psalm 91:1)

Then Solomon observes, “the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.” How I wish that were not true. Some times you think you are trying to redeem your words and you only dig a deeper hole. And when you are in politics someone is standing by to give you a “bigger shovel” and take notes.

Solomon’s words ring true, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”  (Proverbs 10:19) The Apostle Paul put forth this challenges, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6) This is not “salty or sultry” speech, but words that “add value and make people want to preserve them.”

Once again we find ancient words, bringing practical words for today. But I used too many words in commenting about the topic. As I said in the beginning…“occupational hazard.”

Today was a long day. I got up a 4:45 a.m to get ready to travel to Castle Rock for the Republican State Central Committee meeting. This is the biennial event where officers are elected for the party. Chairman Ryan Call invited me to do the invocation and everyone was very gracious and supportive in their reception. Later in the meeting when State Treasurer Walker Stapleton gave greetings to the delegates, the first thing he did was recognize me once again. (Thanks to my friend and State GOP Treasurer Bob Balik for taking a few picture.)

I met up with Debbie later in the afternoon for a meal and then we followed each other home on the highway. Debbie came to Denver to see our grandson’s basketball game and for some errands.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “How good it is to give thanks to you, O Lord, to sing in your honor, O Most High God, to proclaim your constant love every morning and your faithfulness every night…How great are your actions, Lord! How deep are your thoughts!”              Psalm 92:1,2,5

When we read the Psalms we catch a glimpse of the greatness and majesty of God. David, “known as a friend of God” seemed to be in constant awe of who God is and committed to learning more about Him. Sometimes that was through times of question, confusion and grief.

When King David was first trying to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, it was being carried on a cart. The oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark and was stuck dead. David was angry! But he recovered and learned some important lessons about the Lord.

In this Psalm we see a contrast between those who served God and those who don’t. David even describes them as being opposed to God. What we see is a vivid contrast between “this life and the world to come.”

The Psalmist makes this observation, “…the wicked may grow like weeds, those who do wrong may prosper…” (Psalm 92:7) But in the midst of this what “fools don’t understand” is “yet they [the wicked] will be totally destroyed, because you, Lord, are supreme forever.“ (Psalm 92:8)

In contrast to the life of the “wicked” – here is the description of the “righteous”. 

“The righteous will flourish like palm trees; they will grow like the cedars of Lebanon. They are like trees planted in the house of the Lord, that flourish in the Temple of our God, that still bear fruit in old age and are always green and strong.” (Psalm 92:12-14)

This may not always be what is experienced or observed in this life, but this is what the Lord has destined for those who place their faith in Christ. The issue is, we put too much emphasis on this life and too little emphasis on eternity. The way things look and the way they really are or will be can be drastically different.

When the Psalmist looks at the life of the wicked and righteous in contrast, he comes to this conclusion:  “This shows that the Lord is just, that there is no wrong in my protector.” (Psalm 92:15)

When Uzzah was killed before the ark, David could have thought there was some “wrong in my protector.” When the enemies seemed to multiply and the challenges were greater than he could handle, it was easy to conclude that there was some “wrong in my protector.”

But when he saw the Lord deliver and he understood what the future held for both the wicked and the righteous he could see a God who was just and faithful and was worthy to be thanked and worshiped.

This morning I completed my first report as a “professional lobbyist.” While not extensive, it is nice to have some activity that keeps me engaged in the life I’ve had in recent years. After finishing some of my office work and having lunch, I made it back to the fitness center for a workout. I’m not sure if it was a strenuous as earlier in the week, but it was good to get it in.

Tomorrow I will attend the Republican State Central Committee meeting where I have been invited to offer the opening prayer. I’m looking forward to seeing some friends and acquaintances that last saw me in a power wheelchair.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel….” Philippians 1:3-5

I read through the Book of Philippians this morning. I was reminded how that each of the four chapters have some outstanding verses that  bring encouragement to those who are followers of Christ. First of all, I like the way that Paul reflects with joy and gives thanks for the Christians at Philippi. I can relate to his feelings as I reflect on those who have been so supportive of me and my family during my illness and lengthy recovery. When I think of those who have blessed me, I thank the Lord for you and “pray with joy” because of the many ways we have been helped.

Here are some encouraging thoughts and reminders from each chapter of the Book of Philippians.

God is faithful to work in us…and He doesn’t quit.  “I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)  What the Lord begins, He finishes. We may fatigue and falter, but God is patient and faithful to work in us and through us as we yield our lives to Him.

Our responsibility is keep working. “Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.” (Philippians 2:12,13) I believe it is difficult to comprehend the ways of the Lord. As Paul admonishes believers to “work out their own salvation with fear and trembling” (NIV) he reminds us that God is always working and His work is to empower us to make us willing and enable us to accomplish his purpose. When I think of that, I picture being swept down a river by the current. If we jump into what the Lord has for us, His Spirit will help us get to where we need to be.

We must maintain our focus.  “…the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.” (Philippians 3:13,14) Life is a marathon and not a sprint. It doesn’t matter how far you have come if there is still a finish line to be crossed. It is tough to move forward if you are always looking back. For Paul his past had some humbling failures, and some honorable achievements. But he realized that resting on accomplishments or being bogged down by failures doesn’t help in making it to the finish line. We can all make it our goal to “finish well.”

Replace worry with prayer.   “Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6,7) Anxiety is the curse of modern day living. We have too much information, too little time, too much stress and that can weigh us down and be a distraction to where our focus needs to be. I recall a church in our community when I was a youth had a slogan on the side of its building that always got my attention. I read, “Why worry, When you can pray.” Our commitment to seek the Lord resolves worry and brings God’s peace in its place.

So there you have it. Four chapters and four reminders of how to live our life of faith. I believe if we reminded ourselves of these on a daily basis, it would make a difference and allow us to experience the joy Paul writes about to the Philippians.

This morning I needed some additional rest to recover from a restless night. I did return to Twyla Osler for a massage. It has been months since I have been to Twyla and I hope that her efforts will promote my nerve regeneration and increased range of motion.

I then slipped in late to the Prime Timers lunch at Timberline Church. Pastor John Engle shared his plans to step down from his visitation ministry and retire. John is a valued friend and was such a great support during my hospital stays. Pastor Wally Weber shared some practical guidelines for making end of life plans so that the twenty decisions, that need to be made at the time of death would be easier for family members.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward.  Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn’t mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind—of no use at all.”  Ecclesiastes 2:10,11

When I was young the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Book of Revelation, were two books that I tended to avoid. They seemed too difficult to understand. Since the Book of Ecclesiastes has so many ramblings that do not inform us about godly living I wasn’t sure of the value or how to make sense of it all. However, the older I become the more I appreciate Solomon’s reflection of modern day success without purpose.

Remember Solomon was not of the 99% jealous and envious of the success of the 1% – he represented the 99.999% of his day who had it all and when he found he had it all, he discovered he had nothing at all.

He had position, wisdom, wealth, women, pleasure, understanding of the world around him, like none other. Yet he still said,“Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough. What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world.”  Ecclesiastes 1:8,9

Look at what else Solomon observed and did, “I decided to enjoy myself and find out what happiness is. But I found that this is useless, too.  I discovered that laughter is foolish, that pleasure does you no good…I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards.  I planted gardens and orchards, with all kinds of fruit trees in them…I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. Men and women sang to entertain me, and I had all the women a man could want.” Eccl. 2:4-8

Solomon realized that “you can’t take it  with you” and that brought about a sobering reality. Not only was there a lack of satisfaction in possessions, success and status, but all you worked for you go to someone else who did nothing to earn it. “Nothing that I had worked for and earned meant a thing to me, because I knew that I would have to leave it to my successor,  and he might be wise, or he might be foolish—who knows? Yet he will own everything I have worked for, everything my wisdom has earned for me in this world.” Eccl. 2:18-19

Solomon realized the same fate awaits all people. “I thought to myself, “What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. So what have I gained from being so wise?” “Nothing,” I answered, “not a thing.”  No one remembers the wise, and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die—wise and foolish alike.” Eccl. 2:15,16

How disappointing it is to work all your life to “make a name for yourself” and to realize that in time you will be forgotten. I recall a political colleague sayings, “it  doesn’t long to go from a “whose who” too “whose that?”

Solomon realized that true purpose comes from God. The final paragraph of Solomon’s reflections on life, success and living reveal that purpose is God-ordained. He is our “north star” and when we understand that, we have peace and contentment and don’t have unrealistic expectations about ourselves, our accomplishments and what our short life on this planet offers. “After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.”  Eccl. 12:13

Don’t look for purpose in success, but allow your God-given purpose give meaning to your success and the way you live your life.

For me just another day highlighted by a good work out at the fitness center. My routine this week has pretty much been taking care of some business in the morning and heading to the gym in the early afternoon and coming home to work on my blog. But that is this week and my activities have had some variety. Last month I was to the Capitol in Denver once a week. The last two weeks have found me in a different routine. But any day outside the hospital is a good day.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.  God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.”     Ephesians 2:8-10

These verses of Paul’s to the Ephesians are some of my favorite. They represent some of the first verses that I memorized as a youth and they are of speak to the core of the gospel message. That message is “we come into relationship with Christ and have acceptance by Him based on our faith, through God’s grace.” Some have emphasized this by saying, “through grace alone, by faith alone.”

God’s grace is sufficient and our faith is the step we take to receive God’s gift of life. It is not our faith, plus our effort or anything else. Faith is the great equalizer. The Bible says, “God has given to everyone the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3) When public policy discussion focuses on education the statement will often be made, “your educational opportunities should not be determined by your zip code.” Your access to God’s gift of life is not dependent upon who you are, where you live, your abilities or status by any  measure. It is the same for everyone. The rich, the poor, those who believe they are good and those who feel they are so bad, good can’t be part of their life.

The reason for this strikes at the heart of the human condition; “so no one can boast about it.” We are so wired to compare and judge ourselves and others, that if human effort resulted in salvation, it would promote pride. That is what happened in Jesus day with the Pharisees. They believed they were acceptable based on their rituals, rules and religious observances. They focused on what they believed to be important, but it was not what God thought was important.

But, Paul makes it clear that how live and what we do is an extension and evidence of our faith. God in our union with Christ has created us for good works. Paul says, that God already has planned what those “works” are. So part of our challenge is to do what is pleasing to the Lord and not just what we believe is “right” That requires us to be in God’s Word and to continue to grow in God’s grace.

So we don’t “do good” to be right with God, but because we are right with God we “do good things.” Our life in Christ is the reason we live our lives the way we do and do the good we do.

This morning was pretty rough for me. I struggled with a headache and some fatigue. Then I recalled that my water intake yesterday was not what it needed to be. It is interesting how sometime the basics can make such a big difference. So, some of my normal Tuesday routine was thrown off a little as I got in some additional rest.

What was interesting is that I did make it to the fitness center. I actually achieved a PB (personal best) for my bike riding time. That was something that I did not expect in light of how my workout was yesterday and fighting the fatigue of the morning.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Don’t be afraid,” he [Jonathan] said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You [David] will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 1 Samuel 23:17

“Now I [Saul] am sure that you [David] will be king of Israel and that the kingdom will continue under your rule.”     1 Samuel 24:20

The character study of Saul, Jonathan and David is an interesting one. In these three men you have a reigning King, the heir to the throne and God’s anointed King. Saul is the reluctant and self-conscious King who struggled between obedience to God and pleasing the people. After Saul’s disobedience in the war with the Amalekites, the prophet  Samuel pronounced this judgement, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today and given it to someone who is a better man than you. Israel’s majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being—he does not change his mind.” (1 Samuel 15:28,29)

This is the second time in Samuel’s prophetic ministry that the Lord pronounced judgment through him. The first is when he was young in the house of Eli the priest. When the Lord showed Samuel the judgment coming on Eli’s house, he told it to Eli and Eli responded with the words, “He is the Lord; he will do whatever seems best to him.”    (1 Samuel 3:18)

In contrast, Saul allowed his jealousy and insecurities to make David an enemy even though David was loyal to Saul. Saul spent time and resources and committed brutal murders all out of hatred for David.

Jonathan, really had the most to lose. Jonathan would have been the son of Saul’s in the normal succession to the throne. But Jonathan recognized God’s hand on David and not only accepted God’s will for David, but pledged to be second in command and work for the success of David’s kingdom.

David became the outcast and fugitive. He spent years running from Saul with a rag-tag of an assembled army who became valiant fighting men. On two occasions, David spares Saul’s life and even when Saul is killed in battle David shows his fiercely respect for Saul’s position.

What can we observe in these reactions to God’s plan?

Saul fought against God’s will and made David his enemy and in so doing found himself fighting against God. This only added to his mental anguish and torment. It appears that Saul finally was able to verbalize that David would be King and that the kingdom of Israel would continue under his reign. However, the transition from Saul to David was not easy and took several years.

Jonathan was caught in the middle between his loyalty to David and his father. He endured his father’s wrath when he tried to defend David. Jonathan found himself accepting not fighting God’s plan. Not only that he pledge his support of God’s plan. Remember Jonathan and his armor bearer had won a single-handed battle; so this was not a man who was a push over with no ambition.

David learned about trusting God to bring about His plan, in His way and in His time. David’s days of fearing for his life taught him some valuable lessons about himself and the Lord. He knew what is was to face hardship and trouble and persecution and see the Lord deliver him. He knew what it was to find the Lord as his refuge and strength and ever-present help in time of trouble.

When it comes to accepting God’s will who are you like? Saul, Jonathan or David? Although I was always troubled by Eli’s response, it is true that the Lord’s will, will prevail. Our challenge is knowing God’s will, accepting God’s will, (especially when it is counter to our expectation) and then being patient for the fulfilling of God’s will in our life.

The reality is that in our life, at various times, we will find ourselves identifying with all three of these men. But we can always be assured that when we remain open, teachable and patient that we will see the Lord’s faithfulness in our life.

This week the weather will make us eager for spring. After many days of snow and colder temps, we will be enjoying more “spring-like” temps here in Colorado. I was able to return to the fitness center for a workout and get in some routines that I have not utilized in recent visits. This week brings a few more meetings into my schedule than last week, so I will keep busy with a variety of activities and appointments.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not desire what belongs to someone else”—all these, and any others besides, are summed up in the one command, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law.”  Romans 13:8-10

In the Book of Romans, Paul talks a lot about the law, sin, grace and forgiveness. In the verses above we  find Paul admonishing believers about their main duty or obligation. He says, “you are under obligation to no one, but you are obligated to love..”

Jesus said, Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving your neighbors as yourself are the two greatest commandments. It is these commands that enable us to fulfill the law. This is not having warm, fuzzy feelings about everybody. We need to remember that the biblical concept of love is that which is borne out in our actions. How we treat each others, even those who are opposed to us.

It is love that compels us, obligates us to be patient, kind, to forgive and not keep records of wrong. It is love that keeps us from pride and envy and putting others down in an attempt to lift ourselves up.

Paul also reminds us that,  “Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another.” (Romans 12:9, 10)

When we love God, we are motivated to obey Him, stay close to Him and to guard our lives so we will not dishonor His name.

Just as obeying the law is not possible through human strength and willpower, fulfilling the obligation to love is not in our nature. We need the Lord’s help in this area as much as any other part of our life. And the Lord has richly responded in a way to help us. Paul tell us, “….God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

The Ten Commandments are the foundation of the law. But even more basic and easier to remember is our obligation to love God and to love one another. And we can be confident of the Lord’s help to accomplish this as we trust in Him.

We have had a good first day of the spring time change. I was reading a FaceBook post of my friend Reece Bowling when he said to prepare for the time change he put his kids to bed early. I responded and said, “I put myself to bed early.” Of course, it helped that I was fairly tired at the end of the day and so it all worked out well.

Today was the annual missions emphasis at Timberline Church. My friend Norm Edwards from the Ukraine was the guest speaker. Norm carries out a leadership role in this important region of the world and did an excellent job in sharing his message. I was surprised to learn that he had been following my health crisis journey. The last time I saw him was just a few months before my hospitalization.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone,
like a short hour in the night.…Seventy years is all we have—eighty years, if we are strong; yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow; life is soon over, and we are gone…..Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise. Lord our God, may your blessings be with us. Give us success in all we do!”  Psalm 90:4,10,12,17

At this stage of my life, I am comfortable, not frustrated with understanding more about God than I have. In a recent “Grief Share” lessons it was pointed out that Job, having gone through His troubles and suffering, came to understand and know God as he never had before.

It is interesting how we consistently view God from our perspective. When we read about a thousands years being like a day to God, many try to fit that into an equation for predicting prophetic events. What we realize is the simple truth that God is above time. When we stop and think, “wow, this day flew by” imagine if that were a thousand years.  Instead of thinking, “That was tough day!” God sees it as “that was a tough millennium, glad those thousand years are over!” But even that really doesn’t help us understand the limitlessness and timelessness of God.

So, the Psalmist refers to the life span of a person being 70-80 years and those years are trouble and toil, but even if we live a long life they are but a tick of the clock to God. And then when a health crisis arises or an accident takes place you realize that life can be “snuffed out” almost before it begins.

The challenge is, without a tragic “wake up call,” to understand how fleeting, fragile and precious life is. And to make the most of our days on this earth. We need the Lord’s strength, wisdom and provision. So the Psalmist prays, “teach us to number our days.” Perhaps that is best understood from the stand point of, “let’s remember life is fleeting and short, especially in light of eternity.” We need to be stewards of our days. We need to use them, invest them, plan them in a way that honors the Lord.

Then I like the final verse of Psalm 90. “Lord, our Lord” or to personalize, “Lord, my Lord.” He is not the distant God, He is the personal God. He is the God who makes Himself known to His people and is available to help us through each day. While our fleeting time is nothing to God, we are something to Him! He desires for us to know His blessings and grant us success in all that we do, as we live our lives unto Him.