Skip to main content

perspective of a father

Thanks for letting me take a break the last couple weeks as we went to a wedding in Oklahoma and then spent last week in Atlanta at a leadership conference called Catalyst.  This was a great time of connecting with people, hearing from God and gaining vision for what God is doing in my life and in His church.  I am learning.

One of the things that the last 4 days has meant to me is a renewed desire for God and time with Him.  It is so evident that God wants my time and is ready to pour out Himself and more when I give Him that time.  Does that make sense?

I spoke to our people yesterday on the fact that "Love Isn't Selfish", and what I got out of my study and preaching time is that when I don't spend time with God, I am being selfish.  The results are more of me and less of Him.  Which is just ... wrong.

We are selfish when we give people, our family and our friends and others, anything other than our best and God's best.  So, what is keeping us from connecting with God so we can help others connect with God?  Next, what are we giving people when we do connect with them?  Are we relying more on what we personally think or on what God says?  By the way, that hurts.  Just ask the people who attended The Community yesterday (if you know what I mean).

Ok, here is my point:

John 5:19 (NLT) --- So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.


Giving people anything other than God I give them what is wrong.  I am not just talking about what a pastor ought to do.  I am talking about what God's kids ought to be up to.  Are we giving people God?

Then I step back and look at this from another point of view.  I just spoke from the view of one of God's kids.  Now look at it from the perspective of a parent.  Am I teaching my kids to live by faith?  Am I giving them the best of me and the best of God?

That hurts.  But all of this will allow us to see and know who God is and what God is like.  Either way, the perspective of a father is insightful.  Our heavenly Father, God loves us and wants to give us the best.  I love my kids.  I love being a father, and I want to give my kids the best I can.  Therefore, God help us!  We need God!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you
Post a Comment
Read more

why is it Good Friday?

  Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation.  We come to Friday.  The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me   Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good?   Jesus was treated as a criminal.  He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him.  His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure.  That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the  Passion of the Christ .   Yet it is a good day.  It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart.  What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me:   He is Redemption and Redeemer   He too our Pain and Punishment   He is our Righteousness and Reality   He is the Savior and Life   All of those happened from the cross.  It was meant for the worst lawbreakers.  It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law.  It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus.   Look
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba.  Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve.   Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba.  There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met.  No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more.  These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana.  On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours.  We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours.  We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good.  We visited two partner churches.  In the morning we were with one church that
Post a Comment
Read more