A good day here in Atlanta. Enjoyed reading my Bible on the patio eating biscuits and drinking coffee. We went to the boys school for lunch. We just missed Mason, but were there for Carter.

After an afternoon nap, we went to the swimming pool in Stephanie and Nathan’s old neighborhood. Looking forward to grilling on the new grill Nathan installed today and en enjoyable time at home.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made.”  John 176:24

John 17 is referred to as Jesus’ High Priestly prayer. He speaks to the Father about the fulfillment of His mission, He prays for His disciples present and future. Jesus prays for protection and unity for His followers.

In doing so He recognizes that they will live with their identity tied to “another world.” The world in which they live will not always affirm and accept them, but they had a mission to accomplish, just as Jesus did.

Jesus final request is for His followers to be with Him in eternity and to behold the glory of God and live in His presence as their new home.

This is a prayer that is being answered and will be answered. It is answered each time a follower of Christ passes from this life. For scripture declares, “..to be absent from the body is to be present with The Lord..”. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

It is a prayer that finds its final fulfillment when Christ returns. We see this pictured in the end of the book of Revelation in these words,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished.  And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God’s home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”  (Revelation 21:1-4)

We can be thankful that The Lord has a plan and purpose for those who commit their lives to Him. We are those with a future and a destiny. And we have the opportunity to share that hope with others.

Today has been a travel day for me. It was the first time for me to drive myself to the airport and fly on my own. It went went well because I traveled only with a backpack.

Nathan, Mckenzie and Carter met me at the airport and we plowed our  way through Atalanta traffic. I have an HOA meeting tonight that I will try to participate in through Skype.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “When I am ready to give up, He knows what I should do…” Psalm 142:3

This verse is straight forward and to the point. Have you ever felt like giving up? We all have at some point. It may be a task, a calling or job, a relationship or for some it may be as severe as life itself.

Often at that point in our frustration and despair we may say to ourselves, “I just don’t know what to do!” That is where the psalmist was in his situation. But he realized that while he didn’t know what to do The Lord did.

Since we don’t know and the Lord does, what do we do? “I call The Lord for help…I tell Him all my troubles…” (Psalm142:2,3) That is what the Psalmist did. Even when it seemed there was no help from any other source his reliance on the  Lord was, “Lord I cry to you for help, Lord, you are my protector, you are all I want in this life.” (Psalm 142:5)

In your situation when you are ready to give up and don’t know what to do, turn to The Lord. And then take time to wait and listen.  You will find no greater source of strength and refuge.

As I write this afternoon, we are experiencing a downpour of rain. It did rain a little earlier in the day, after more pleasant weather. I have spent most of the day getting ready for another trip to Atlanta. I fly out tomorrow and will return next Tuesday. It will be good to see Stephanie and family once again. As they moved to their new house, we told them perhaps it would allow us more of an opportunity to make some frequent visits.

I am always a surprised at my level of strength and energy. Perhaps I am trying to get into some old patterns and Debbie reminds me that I might not be awarer of how much I try to get done.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “Lord, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting;  you know all my actions.…Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts.  Find out if there is any evil in me  and guide me in the everlasting way.^{“  Psalm 139:1-2,23-24}

Just recently I was reading some verses that were a vivid description of God’s omnipresence (God everywhere, at the same time). Here in this well known Psalm is a vivid description of God’s omniscience (God knows everything, about everybody)

The first verse of this Psalm and the last ones form two bookends that reinforce the theme throughout these verses. It is clear that the Lord know us and has known us even before we were born. What is difficult to comprehend in our minds is not impossible for God. That is why the Psalmist declares, “Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.” (Psalm 139:6)

It is one thing to grasp the infinite knowledge of God about our lives, it is another to invite the search light of His Spirit to shine into our lives and to allow us to see ourselves as we are. When we know that there are areas of disobedience in our lives, it can be difficult to admit and confront those. On the other hand, when we feel like we have our “act together” it is important for us to be open to the Lord showing ourselves to ourselves as He sees us.

The Lord’s watchfulness over our lives can give us the comfort and reassurance that He is with us to guide, protect and provide for us what is needed. When we face challenging situations we can trust the Lord to help us, to be with us. When we send children off to school or away from our watchful eye we can take assurance that the Lord is with them and aware of their actions and activity.

However, for them and for us, that may cause more conviction than comfort. I recall our Pastor recently mentioned how his youth pastor when he was a teen, had all the youth group, take with them a physical reminder of God’s presence as they made their way through their day. That visible reminder was to help them understand the spiritual reality that we are never outside of God’s care of watchful eye.

That in itself can conjuncture up images of a God with arms folded across His chest and a frown on His face. I don’t believe that is the case as much as a God with a broken heart if our ways are not pleasing to Him. God know us and all about us, can bring both comfort and conviction at various times in our life.

The final statement though is the key, “….lead me in the everlasting way” or as The Message paraphrase states it, “…guide me on the road to eternal life.” The goal is right relationship with God and others and the right direction for our lives. When we keep our hearts open, we can not only know if we are on the right path, but we can trust the Lord to guide us in the way we are to go.

As Psalm 27:11 puts it, “Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the right path…”

Today, has been a fairly active day. I attended my Tuesday morning prayer connection and then made a trip to the Motor Vehicle Department to get plates for our new vehicle. Fortunately there was no line! After some office work, lunch and a nap, I started on some outside projects. It is nice to have weather that allows us to move forward with some of our spring activities. However, I’m not sure when I will be able to plant a garden.

Yesterday evening I attended an “End of Session” wrap up, at Colorado Christian University  sponsored by the Centennial Institute. It was good to see my friend Shirley Seitz, who has been a great friend and supporter politically and personally over the years.

Also, it was good to see Dr. William Watson one of the professors at CCU whom I have known for a number of years. Dr. Watson has just completed a new book on the history of the development of the teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture. I was honored for him to give me an autographed copy.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… …“Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.  And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.” John 6:68,69

During Jesus ministry the opinions about Him were greatly divided and ever changing. He didn’t fit or meet the expectations of many as who the Messiah would be or how He would act. We read in John 7 a parenthetical statement that says,  “(Not even his brothers believed in him.)” (John 7:5) But the words He spoke and miracles He performed arrested the attention of the masses and created a great following.

The miracle of the “Feeding of the 5,000” was more than just a notable event. In the minds of those who knew the history of God’s people it reminded them of the Lord supplying His people with manna in the wilderness. This excited the people because they believed if the Jesus supplied them with food, they could take care of the rest of business in throwing off the Roman oppression.

Jesus knew the hearts and minds of the people and told them, “I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles. Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life….” (John 6:26,27)

Jesus went on and told them that He was, “the bread of life.” In other words, if you want real satisfaction and life receive His words and live by them. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty.…” (John 6:35)

We see some acting as “Disillusioned Disciples.” They had their own agenda and when Jesus did not meet their preconceptions they began to question and became confused.

Jesus told them plainly, “I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.… I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever….” (John 6:47-51) But Jesus statement wasn’t one of clarity but of confusion for those who did not understand or were willing to accept what He was trying to say.

Jesus went on to explain that the life He gives is eternal life, not just sustaining natural life. “What gives life is God’s Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God’s life-giving Spirit…“This is the very reason I told you that no people can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so.”        (John 6:63,65)       

After this we see the “Deserting Disciples.” “Because of this, many of Jesus’ followers turned back and would not go with him any more.” (John 6:66) This discourse is referred to as one of Jesus’ “hard sayings.” It is referred to as such because it was challenging for people to understand, especially when they were insisting on having a Messiah who did not do what they wanted and nor acted how they wanted. So often is the case today. When Jesus fails to meet the expectation and understanding of some people, instead of being persistent and seeking understanding, they become disillusioned and walk away.

At this point Jesus looks at His own Disciples. And taking nothing for granted, as the number of backs of those leaving are great than the faces He is looking into He asks, “And you—would you also like to leave?” (John 6:67) It is at this point we see the “Decisive Disciples.”  Peter speaks up (which is not unusual) and declares his loyalty and that of the rest of the Disciples.  “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.  And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.” (John 6:68,69)

Being a Christ-follower is one who is willing to be faithful and persistent, even when there is confusion and doubts. So Jesus question is relevant for each person today, “So what about you….?” What will you do when the questions are getting than the answers and it doesn’t seem like Jesus is, “coming through?”

One doesn’t need to understand all there is to know and understand, but there is the need for that bedrock belief, “I believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.” When that conviction is firm, that is enough!

The sun is out and weather is warm once again! I was able to get out and mow the lawn and turn on the sprinkler system and mark sprinkler heads for the aeration taking place tomorrow. I brought my mother back to Englewood. She was a big help during her stay. I told her that it takes extra long for a handicap person and a ninety year old to get ready to go somewhere together.  I think at 90 her strength is better in many ways than mine. But I told her my mind was sharper. So between the two of us we make up one “less the average” person.

After dropping my mom off at her house, I slipped into the Starbucks near Hampden and Santa Fe in the River Point shopping area. I was pleased to see Gary Jugert as the manger of this new store. I became acquainted with Gary when he worked at the Starbucks at Kipling and Florida in Lakewood. It was fun to get acquainted with many of the team members at that store and two of the young adults served as aides and interns with me at the Capitol and are still involved in politics.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Why was I born? Was it only to have trouble and sorrow, to end my life in disgrace?” Jeremiah 20:18

Those that God called and used faced challenges, trouble and discouragement. The verse above is one that you would think came from the lips of Job in the midst of his suffering. It is interesting the passages in the Bible where we read of an individual in their faith speaking of the anguish caused by the wicked. The prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of those who are obedient to the Lord.

Look at Jeremiah’s dilemma. He suffered because of the message he spoke.

We woke up with snow on the ground, but a day that ended up better than the past several days. We took my mom to the “Traditions Service” at Timberline Church. Christian and Bridget and kids came for lunch and visit at midday and we had a good time together. They helped with moving a desk and book shelf from downstairs for our upstairs office. In the midst of our work, we found some old videos from Christian’s high school graduation, so we spent some time reminiscing about days gone by.

It ended up being a special day with my mom, Debbie and Bridget all together. So our grand-kids were able to have mom, grandmother and great-grandmother together for a Mother’s Day celebration.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. It is not afraid when hot weather comes, because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:7,8

As I read these verses the imagery of fruitfulness in spite of adversity caught my attention. So often, trusting in the Lord is viewed as hanging on for all we are worth, while we are waiting for a change in our circumstances. But in these verses we see that trust is the path to fruitfulness, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances.

When I picture this in my mind, I think of the solitary pine in the Colorado Rockies that somehow is growing from a barren rock. I think of the well known “Lone Cyprus” along Monterrey Peninsula in California. Jeremiah says, the person who trusts in the Lord is not afraid of the hot weather and dry times. The leaves will stay green and it will continue to bear fruit.

These verses are set in contrast to those who turn from the Lord and trust only in themselves. The Lord says, “I will condemn those who turn away from me and put their trust in human beings, in the strength of mortals.…Nothing good ever happens to him.”  Jeremiah 17:5,6

As we look at this contrast in Jeremiah 17 between trusting in human strength verse trusting and following the Lord’s ways, it is reminiscent of Psalm 1, where the Psalmist says of those who commit to following the Lord, “…they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.”  Psalm 1:2,3

Remember that “trust” is the preferred choice for Christ followers and the path that should describe our spiritual lives on a daily basis. So often when the road gets rough someone might say, “well…I guess I’ll just have to trust the Lord!” That often sounds like, “I would rather not, but I guess I will.” When we live our lives daily, consistently as one who trusts the Lord in good times and in bad;  in sunshine and storm; we will continue to enjoy a life of vitality and fruitfulness regardless of the circumstances, trials and obstacles we face.

I began my morning attending the Allies Men’s Breakfast at Timberline Church. I enjoyed the discussion with the men at my table as we viewed a video teaching from John Eldridge. The rest of the day was spent dealing with water in our basement as the  rain continues to fall in northern Colorado. It doesn’t take long before I am reminded of my diminished strength and how easy it is to get fatigued.

I mentioned attending the Larimer  County National Day of Prayer event on Thursday. The message of John Andrews was not only relevant for the event, but was a personal challenge to me and I thought was a good follow up to my blog from yesterday. So, for the first time in over a year, I am not going to author my own blog, but share the text of John’s National Day of Prayer message and an important message for all those who with me find themselves in God’s “waiting room.” (Picture today is me with John Andrews second from right and other program participants at our National Day of Prayer event)

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Lord, hear my prayer! In your righteousness listen to my plea; answer me in your faithfulness!” Psalm 143:1

The theme for the National Day of Prayer was, “Lord, hear our prayer…” John Andrews the Founder of the Centennial Institute and Chair of the nationally known Western Conservative Summit was the keynote speaker at the NDP event in Larimer County. As he spoke of the importance of being a “people of prayer in a land of prayer” he asked what do we do when our prayers seem to go unanswered? He structured some challenging thoughts using the word pictures, “God’s oxygen, God’s ark, and God’s ambassadors.”

Here is the summary of John’s message posted on the “Backbone America” website (http://www.backboneamerica.net/2015/05/09/practicing-prayer-when-god-seems-silent/) as well as on the Centennial Institute Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/Centennial.Institute?fref=ts) I appreciate John’s permission to allow me to “re-blog” his thoughts.

We are back to a cloudy and rainy day. The continual rain in our area creates some genuine concerns about flooding in the various places and canyons in northern Colorado. It was less than two years ago that significant damage took place from Estes Park to Greeley, and along the Poudre in Fort Collins. In the midst of all my hospitalization, Debbie at the time was dealing with water in our basement.

Last night Debbie and I attended the “vision and worship” service for the new southwest hub of Mile High Vineyard. The planned launch is in the fall and my son Christian will be the site Pastor. They had a good attendance for a Thursday evening gathering and it was great to hear the heart and background of Lead Pastor Jay Pathak and to listen to Christian share vision and challenge people to action. Churches in Fort Collins are studying together Pastor Jay’s book, “The Art of Neighboring.”

While we were in Denver, we picked up my mom to bring her back to Fort Collins for a few days as we approach the Mother’s Day weekend.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14  “But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that all these years my understanding of “waiting on the Lord” from Isaiah 40:31 has been incorrect. Perhaps some of it was relying on my own church tradition and not taking time to to do an in-depth “word study.” After all why take time on what you already know?!

I have traditionally viewed the well known verse in Isaiah 40:31 as a call to fervent and consistent prayer. I recall growing up with the practice and encouragement of “waiting on the Lord in prayer.” As a pastor I would encourage people to come to a place of prayer…for a time of “waiting on the Lord” and seeking Him.

Last night I experienced a “God moment.” At the end of the service after a time when people were receiving prayer, a young lady slipped over and introduced herself and shared Isaiah 40:31. She said, “As I stood in the back during our prayer time, I just felt lead to come share that verse with you.” What was interesting for the first time as she shared that verse, it dawn on me that, “waiting on the Lord” means….“wait.”

Here is some additional perspective to help understand the significance of this timing. Just before the men’s retreat last weekend, my physical therapist told me that the strength in my right leg may not improve from its current state. Then at the retreat I received more prayer in a 36 hour period than any time, I can recall. We had a sister church from Loveland that was also on a retreat at the YMCA in Estes Park, so anyone on crutches was a magnet for men of faith.

In the process, it did get me thinking about my need for God to sovereignly do what medical wisdom and evaluation said would not come in the normal recovery process. I found myself thinking, “okay, God I’m ready for a real miracle!” It would be okay for me to go from disability to full ability once again…in a moment!

So the timing of the Lord’s message, through an obedient person was the message I needed. I needed to hear the reassuring word from the Lord that He hears our prayers, is aware of my situation and is just calling me to persevere and yes….“wait.”

I found this commentary on Isaiah 40:31 that puts the challenge in such a powerful and encouraging way….

“No one can wait on the Lord if he or she does not truly trust in God as the rock of their strength and refuge in all of life. Waiting means claiming God’s promises by faith and resting in what God is doing in our lives so we can faithfully follow God’s principles and keep His values, priorities, and pursuits.”  (https://bible.org/article/waiting–lord)

So often I say, as others have, the Lord’s answer to prayer is, “yes” “no” or “wait.” So I will “wait on the Lord” with expectation and trust and persevere in doing what I can, while I anticipate the Lord doing what He alone can do.