Today, I had the skin cancer above my eyebrow removed. It was an interesting process and went well. I was pleased that the doctor was able to remove all the cancerous tissue on the first try. But when the plastic surgeon allowed me to look at the crater that was left, it didn’t look like there was much more to take! This gives me a different take on having a “hole in my head.”

While these procedures are fairly common and not the cause of much concern, with my recent history, I am always glad when what is suppose to be routine, comes out that way. I appreciated my brother-in-law Sam Schmidt for coming to join us for the process and bringing me home after it was over. The doctor gave me a good excuse for “taking it easy” the rest of the day.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “The Lord saw that the human beings on the earth were very wicked and that everything they thought about was evil.…But Noah pleased the Lord.”  Genesis 6:5,8 (NCV)

I have started my next journey through the Bible. I am reading the “New Century Version.” This is one that I have read before, but it has been several years. It doesn’t take long in the Biblical narrative to go from creation to the fall to the growth of the population of people, to the world becoming so full of evil and sin, it compels God to act. Some calculate, based on the year of birth of the first nine generations from Adam, that the flood came 1,656 years after creation. By my calculations Adam was still living during the early years of Lamech, Noah’s father.

While I find some of this timeline study of interest, what we realize is that in the midst of this lineage of a righteous family, evil was growing on the earth. Out of the description of the moral condition of the world at the time, we find this contrast, “But Noah pleased the Lord” or as some translations word it, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

So we see God redirecting His plan for the world to one man and his family. A man who is called, “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5) Noah pleased and Lord in his personal life of dedication to the Lord and his willingness to speak out against the evil of his day.

The Lord is still looking for lives the please Him and stand out in contrast to the prevailing culture. These are the lives of commitment and courage that He is prepared to use to accomplish His divine purposes, even in our world today.

Because of God sending Jesus into this world, we can be those who “find grace in the eyes of the Lord.” The other early patriarch that “pleased God” was a man named, “Enoch.” The Book of Hebrews speaks of Enoch, “before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Heb. 11:5) The Lord took Enoch out of an evil world through his “translation” – for Noah He delivered him from the evil of the world through divine protection when judgment came.

The bottom line for those who follow Christ today is that when we live our lives in His grace and make it our aim to please Him, the Lord uses us and protects us and delivers us. That was the message that Peter preached to his readers as he spoke of the days of Noah and God’s judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah.  He said, “So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day.”  (2 Peter 2:9)

In a changing world and one that seems to characterize, “the days of Noah” our challenge is to keep our focus on the Lord and to look to Him for strength and courage to live our lives to please Him. As the Lord looks at the world today, may He see us stand in contrast to the surrounding culture.

Today has been a “catch up” day. This last weekend was busier and with the walking that I did was probably more taxing than most. It did have a Chiropractor appointment and did make it to the neighborhood pool for some exercise.

This last weekend our room at the Hyatt Convention Center Hotel gave us a good look at one of Denver’s more well know landmarks the D&F (Daniels & Fisher) Tower. It was Denver’s first high rise opened in 1911 with 20 floors.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do. They love the Lord’s teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night.”                              Psalm 1:1,2 (NCV)

In our world today, in our culture today, there are many voices. Some of those voices come from friends, parents, media, our own thoughts and of course God’s Word. Each day in each situation we must face the decision as to what “voice” we will listen to. We need to remember that what we give our attention to, will determine our thoughts and actions.

We see that God’s Word provides clear instructions for our life. Psalm 119:9,10 says, “How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word. With all my heart I try to obey you. Don’t let me break your commands.” This admonition isn’t exclusive to the “young” and to “men.” It applies to all and it has ramifications for our life outside of “moral” purity. We need to understand that our thoughts and attitudes are being influenced consistently in our lives by what we listen to.

The first Psalm simply says, “don’t listen…don’t go…don’t do what evil people do.” Those verbs provide for us a progression that we need to pay attention to. Listening, leads to going with, and the “going with” leads to “doing with”. Paul in the New Testament gave the warning,  “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”       (1 Corinthians 15:33)

In the first Proverb we read, “My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin, do not follow them…My child, do not go along with them; do not do what they do.“ (Proverbs 1:10,15) Sound a lot like Psalm 1. I believe the message is consistent. Solomon, then speaks of the value of wisdom and listening to what “wisdom” says. It is interesting that he says, “wisdom shouts in the streets.” It is as though, in a sea of voices wisdom is wanting to be heard and crying out to get attention of those who listen. The Proverb goes on and say those who ignore wisdom’s counsel will suffer consequences, but those who heed, “…will live in safety and be at peace, without fear of injury.” (Prov. 1:33)

The voices around us are louder and more persistent than we realize. It takes discipline and focus for us to make sure that we are listening to God’s voice and that the words of others that “keep us on track.” This shows the importance of God’s Word being a daily part of our life, and being reinforced in our life through the relationships we have.

Debbie and I enjoyed the final sessions of this year’s Western Conservative Summit. We enjoyed the morning chapel service with Spencer Tillman, former professional football player and sports commentator.

This afternoon, we had a reception for my mother’s 90th birthday. We had a good turn out of family members and friends. One of the pictures is with my mother and my brother and sister, the other is my mother with two of her six sisters that are still living and my father’s brothers and sisters that were in attendance.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”…He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:1-2,15-16

The words of this familiar Psalm can be easily taken for granted. When you are a nomadic people when the heat of the day and the uncertainties of the night pose a daily challenge, a dwelling place and a shadow are not only welcome, but vital to survival. The Psalmist uses figurative language to describe the Lord as a shelter and a shadow. Both of those require proximity and closeness.

It is one thing to understand what the Lord is for us, it is another to receive those benefits. To receive the benefits of who the Lord is, it requires us to “relax and stay put.” We see that in the verbs of “dwell” and “rest.” Making the Lord our refuge and fortress does require trust. It is being where the Lord is, it is staying where He is. I recall a friend once telling me, he found that when there was a sense of alienation from the Lord, he needed to ask himself, “who moved?”

The benefits to that connection and relationship with the Lord described in the first two verses of Psalm 91, are seen in the last verses. When we stay connected to the Lord in a life of trust, we “have His ear.” The Psalmist says, “He will call on me and I will answer him…”

When we stay connected to the Lord in a life of trust, the Lord “is with us to deliver, rescue and honor.” Psalm 34:19 says, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all…“ The Lord spoke through Samuel and said, “Those who honor me I will honor…” (1 Samuel 2:30)

When we stay connected to the Lord in a life of trust, “it is good for your future.” The Psalmist says, “with long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” God’s promise to His people was, “…as your days, so shall your strength be.” (Deu. 33:2) The Lord gives us the strength we need and sustains us throughout our life as He accomplishes His purpose in our life and brings us to the place where we experience the culmination of His plan and we are “with the Lord forever.”

This is the full day of the Western Conservative Summit. It has been good to see people that we haven’t seen in a year and to hear some excellent speakers, communicate with passion and vision. There are five Republican Presidential candidates speaking during the conference and last night we heard Rafael Cruz, the father of Ted Cruz from Texas, who is a pastor and leader and dynamic communicator.

We are staying at the Convention Center Hyatt and have a room on the 23rd floor with a great view of the mountains and downtown.

A highlight of our day was attending a 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration for our friends Doug and Pat Powell. Doug and Pat have been friends for a number of years. I served as their pastor for a number of years. Doug served on our church board and Pat also served with me as an Associate Pastor. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with them and many friends from our pastoral ministry years.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Today as I prepared to pray a prayer of blessing for my friends Doug and Pat Powell as they marked their 50th Wedding Anniversary, I shared some comments from this familiar verse in Jeremiah. I realized that I have often referred to this verse but never “broke it down” with some observations.

The first thing that should catch our attention is that “God has plans for us.” This speaks of promise, potential and destiny. It is one thing to have plans for yourself, but when you feel like there are others who have “plans for you” who want to encourage your success and future that is a different level. When it is the God of the Universe, you can have encouragement knowing what He plans, He accomplishes.

I often note that this verse, filled with encouragement words, is spoken to God’s people as they begin 70 years of captivity, away from their homeland. What we need to know, is that our past or our present, cannot circumvent God’s plan for our future.

God’s plan is for our good; to prosper and not to harm. Regardless of whether God’s plan involves times of testing and trial, we can be assured that the final outcome will be one that is a cause for rejoicing and is evident of God’s provision for our life.

God’s plan gives a positive outlook for the future. I am perplexed at times how even those who claim to be followers of Christ will have anxiety about the future. This may lead them to look to horoscopes or something worse in a search for reassurance. God is a God who has worked in the past, He is with us in the present, but it is His promise for our future that gives us hope and encouragement. When He is “on our side” and when we understand that “He is for us” we can be excited about His plan and purpose being fulfilled in our lives.

What God’s people discovered is that God’s plan are fulfilled when we learn to trust and submit to Him. For them it took 70 years to learn that lesson and that God is serious about our lives and how we live them.  This makes me think of the saying, “we can do this the easy way or the hard way!”

I would rather have confidence in a God who will intervene and redirect my life, than to sit back and allow me to drive “off the cliff” of life. When life isn’t working, stop! and get in line with God’s plan for your life. It is a hope-filled-prosperous future.

This morning I attended the Timberline Senior’s breakfast. It was good to sit with my friends Lynn and Becky Wickstrom. They have been friends for a number of years and spent their lives investing in the lives of children through kids crusades held across the United States and even overseas. It invited them to stop by our house and pick some of the strawberries that are ripe and ready for picking.

This afternoon, Debbie and I traveled to Denver to attend the Western Conservative Summit. It was good to arrive mid-afternoon, but Debbie had to finish up some work and I took a nap. We did enjoy getting to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner on the Sixteenth Street Mall.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….   “There is no good way to answer fools when they say something stupid. If you answer them, then you, too, will look like a fool. If you don’t answer them, they will think they are smart.”   Proverbs 26:4,5

Really?! This was my response this week when I read a Facebook post that caught my attention. It cross-referenced an article related to the horrific murders in South Carolina. The article was from Psychology Today. The author posits that the moral decay in America is a result of “anti-intellectualism.” He says of Dylan Roof, “Whatever his IQ, to some extent he is a product of a culture driven by fear and emotion, not rational thinking, and his actions reflect the paranoid mentality of one who fails to grasp basic notions of what it means to be human.”   (I’m not sure I would have comfort that a mass murder was “thinking rationally.”) He goes on and places the blame for “irrational thinking” at the feet of “fundamental” Christians. In doing so, he is not delineating any extreme theology misconstrued, but anyone who believes in the Bible. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201506/anti-intellectualism-is-killing-america)

How do you respond to something like this? From my political experience, I am accustomed to what you say being scrutinized and when you say something that is “off” being ostracized. It is interesting that the “intellectual” community plays by different rules. As Solomon found out trying or answer a fool is either “foolish” or not answering gives them a sense self-importance.

However, I do believe the Lord is able to give us wisdom in a challenging “post-Christian” culture. We can have the wisdom to know when to respond and how and when not to. I am reminded of Peter’s words, “…in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..” (1 Peter 3:15)

Our morning began with waiting for our “run-away” dog to return. The rabbits in our yard and neighborhood provide too much of a distraction if he has the opportunity to escape our grasp. Fortunately, he know where he lives and usually comes home…eventually.

I had my final appointment three times per week with my Chiropractor. Next week we begin to scale down to twice a week and then once a week to complete the treatment plan. My challenge is getting back to a regular exercise routine to keep working at building muscle. I did get back to the fitness center today. I was on the treadmill for 10 minutes and I think I was able to accomplish that task in better shape than last time I tried.

As I was leaving the fitness center it began to rain. So my timing of the rain the last two days has been good. The rain has started after an event has ended which is good.

We are looking forward to a busy weekend. Tomorrow we travel to Denver for the Western Conservative Summit, and then we will attend a 50th wedding anniversary for our friends Doug and Pat Powell and then on Sunday is my mothers 90th birthday reception.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “But the day when the Lord comes again will surprise everyone like the coming of a thief. The sky will disappear with a loud noise. Everything in the sky will be destroyed with fire. And the earth and everything in it will be burned up.  Everything will be destroyed in this way. So what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and devoted to God.  You should be looking forward to the day of God, wanting more than anything else for it to come soon.” 2 Peter 3:10-12 (ERV)

I have been reading through what is call the “Book of Enoch.” It is an “extra-biblical” ancient writing that is attributed to Enoch, “the seventh from Adam” but is believe to have been written during the first century. It is interesting that Jude makes reference to a quote from the book in his letter and that is what got my attention.

There was verse that I read that did get my attention more than most. It speaks of the consummation of  God’s plan of redemption and says, “The former heaven shall depart and pass away; a new heaven shall appear; and all the celestial powers shine with sevenfold splendour for ever…..Neither shall sin be named there for ever and for ever.” Enoch 92:17,18

We certainly see this in the Biblical record in several passages. Peter talks about the “day of the Lord” and how what is now will be no more and how the Lord will create a “new heaven and a new earth.” We see in Old Testament prophecies, in the New Testament and in Revelation descriptions of God’s plan for the earth and His people. Sometimes, those descriptions create more questions than clarity and I find it interesting to see how many of those “end time” events are reflected in prognostications of scientists and others.

For example, upheaval in nature and the economy; massive earthquakes, hailstones, war and even “stars falling from the heavens.” Much of it can sound like the worst case scenario of “global warming or climate change” or fears that one day there will be a giant collision of an asteroid striking the earth.

The questions and search for “figuring out” what will happen, when and why as the earth moves closer to “that day” will continue. As matter of fact it began at Jesus ascension. As the Lord promised He would return the first question of the disciples was, “when?” ….tell us more. Jesus response in brief was, “it’s not for you to know….”

He followed that with this what you are to know, “when the Holy Spirit comes, you will receive power to be my witnesses…” In like fashion Peter asks the question, “knowing these things, what kind of people should we be?”

It is not wrong to study, seek and ponder. But not at the expense of doing what we are to do (sharing the “good news” with the whole world) and being the people we are to be (those who are devoted to the Lord and looking for and eager for Christ’s return.)

The Lord wants us to relax and be at peace; like He is saying, “I have this under control.” But we don’t sit back and do nothing, we live life with confidence and take our responsibility to share a message of hope, forgiveness and peace with others. This will be all the more important as our world becomes more hopeless, tense and filled with unrest. As Christ’s ambassadors we need to understand that as long as we are in the world, we are to be the “light of the world.”

So remember our focus as we look to the future is not be on what we don’t know and won’t know, but what we do know and what are to do and be.

Today, my brother, niece and mother came to Fort Collins for a visit. It was good to have them here and for my niece Kate, to see our home for the first time. We had a nice visit, enjoyed strawberries from the garden and a visit our neighborhood pool.

I wanted to see grandson Riley’s baseball game, since their season is coming to an end and they were playing in Arvada. My plans and timing ended up being curtailed by the afternoon traffic and some adverse weather, but I made it in time to see most of the game. Riley played well, hitting the ball at every at bat and ended the game at catcher, after playing second base for most of the game.

The rain began just as the gamed ended, so that was good. My trip home went better, but delayed the posting of my daily blog.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  ^“If you see someone on their way to death or in danger of being killed, you must do something to save them.  You cannot say, “It’s none of my business.” The Lord knows everything, and he knows why you do things. He watches you, and he will pay you back for what you do.” Proverbs 24:25 (ERV)

I have been reading Proverbs in what is called the “Easy to Read Version.” This verse above is from Solomon’s “thirty wise sayings.” As I read it I thought of two things.

First, we have heard of the situations where someone was being attacked or in need and was ignored by several people who witnessed the crime or saw the person in need. When confronted, “they didn’t want to be involved.” It is like a modern day “Parable of the Good Samaritan.”  You will recall that the man robbed, beaten and left for dead was ignored by the Priest and Levite, but got the attention of the Samaritan, the most unlikely person in the eyes of the Jews of the day to stop.

Second, I thought of the spiritual application and our obligation to share the “good news” of Christ’s love and forgiveness with others. The Bible is clear that those without Christ in the center of their lives are headed to a certain death. The Lord has called us to be those who are the warning signs on the road of life to those headed in the wrong direction.

The proverb also says the Lord knows our motives; why we do what we do. Our initial impulse can be to view that as a negative and assume that our motives and those of others are suspect. But as we follow Christ and are sensitive to His direction in our life, we can have confidence that the Lord sees our hearts and actions and even if we aren’t recognized for our positive actions the Lord sees and will reward us.

In our life we need wisdom and discernment as to who to help and when and the same applies in sharing our faith. But when it comes to an eye towards those who are in need and those who are in danger; physically, emotionally and spiritually, it is our business to take action. That is what the Lord compels us to do.

This morning I was able to reconnect with my Tuesday morning prayer group after a long absence. Later in the morning I traveled to Denver to visit my mother and meet my brother and niece who had just arrived from California. My niece will be here for the next three months as an occupational therapist intern at Saint Anthony Hospital.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.”                  John 10:11   “Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

God’s provision for His people is a consistent theme in scripture. Paul said, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19) Jesus said, “…do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” (Matt. 6:31)

We see the familiar imagery of both Psalm 23 and John 10 that speaks of the shepherd and the sheep. We see in these passages the provision of safety, security, protection, restoration and the assurance of a future destiny. The key to receiving Christ’s care is our response to Him. So with this in mind I encourage you to:

C – Come to Christ. Care is about relationship. Jesus said, “come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) In referring to Himself as the “good shepherd” Jesus said, “I know my sheep…they listen to my voice.” (John 10:14,16) In submitting ourselves to Christ we find His strength and protection. The Psalmist implored, “Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God,  And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand….” (Psa. 95:6,7)

A – Allow Him to supply your need. The shepherd knows what his flock needs. He plans and prepares and provides for them what is needed, when it is needed. When the sheep rest in that, it goes well. When they wander, they find themselves in danger and trouble. Sometimes the Lord provides for us what we need, when we don’t realize that we need it. Rest, for example. Psalm 23 says, “He makes me lie down…” The rod and staff of the shepherd speak of meeting the needs of protection and direction for the sheep.  As we follow our Shepherd in the path of life we will have all that we need.

R – Receive His care. To receive the Lord’s care, we need to be willing to “let go” of our worries and anxieties. We need to “let go” of our sense of control and believing that we know what we need. One writer in commenting on           1 Peter 5:7 said, “…if you are filled with fear of the “thick and dreadful darkness” because of God’s dealing with humankind, learn to trust His infallible wisdom….know that He who endured the “dreadful darkness” of Calvary and the feeling of having been forsaken…is ready to accompany you “through the valley of the shadow of death” until you can see the sun on the other side.”

E – Experience His provision. Relationship with Christ, trusting Him and having confidence in His care, knowing that He can supply for us what we need, allows us experience the full provision of His grace. Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely your goodness and love will be with me all my life…”

Today, you can have the comfort and blessing of being under the “Good Shepherd’s CARE.”