I see it today as I watch my sons play, and we eat breakfast and laugh together. I want more than anything to show them His love. As little children, they look to me, as their father, to love, cover, protect them and provide for them. Just like we look to the Father to act in that love toward us. I’ll fall short if I try in my own strength to love them unconditionally, but in Him, I can love beyond my own limitations.

His love never fails. It never runs dry. It never recedes. He loves because He wants to, not because he has to or because we deserve it. He loves because He IS love…without Him, there is no true love. His love is inexhaustible, always available, and beyond all measure. And it’s ours to freely receive…and freely give.

A message by Pastor Al Keech, shared on December 13, 2009 at The Rock at Church Ranch. Based on John 10:10, Pastor Al outlines the difference between life and life more abundant, as Jesus promises.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”- John 15:5,8

We can often times get caught up in programs, methods, and curriculum surrounding the subject of discipleship. After all, Jesus told us to go into all nations and make disciples. We, as Christians, should place great importance on the subject.

But, when I read the verses above, I’m reminded that the most basic way to both BE a disciple and help to MAKE disciples is to simply abide in Christ. When we do this, we bear fruit – and the right kind of fruit.

Let’s abide in Him today…and all days!

By John Piper February 12, 2008

Abraham Lincoln, who was born on this day 199 years ago, remained skeptical, and at times even cynical, about religion into his forties. So the most striking thing about Marvin Olasky’s recent article about Lincoln in World Magazine is how personal and national suffering drew Lincoln into the reality of God, rather than pushing him away.

via Abraham Lincoln’s Path to Divine Providence :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library.

The quote above seems entirely applicable to today’s United States of America, doesn’t it? There are many who seem to write off Christianity as fiction, especially those who desire to be seen as intellectual. While the quote above is certainly fitting for today, you might be surprised to learn that is was originally written by Bishop Joseph Butler, Anglican Church, Analogy of Religion in 1730.

I have taken some encouragement in this, for two reasons:

1. Our cultural indifference toward Jesus Christ, as a secular nation, is not unique in Western history, and
2. Shortly after Butler wrote these words, the Great Awakening of the latter half of the 18th and first part of the 19th centuries occurred, changing world history and spreading to America.

It’s easy, sometimes, to be somewhat of a fatalist as a Christian in post-modern America. But, our privilege, right, and responsibility as Christians is to pray for God’s will to be done on this earth. He can take what seems like the most bleak of circumstances, and by moving in them, cause the world to be changed according to His plan.

We need revival in our society. Let’s pray it down.

Merry Christmas!!!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we are to “in everything, give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

We live in an increasingly thankless society. Even Thanksgiving isn’t so much about giving thanks as it is about the “3 Fs” – Food, Football and the Friday after While I love food and football as much as the next guy (I must confess that I can do without the Friday after), I do pray that our hearts will be turned toward God in thanksgiving this week. For many of us, this year has represented difficulty – the economy and job markets aren’t good. But, we have so much to be thankful for, and our thanksgiving is a free will choice that we get to make.

I hope that we choose thankfulness this Thanksgiving. Thank God for His love and kindness toward us, for we deserve far less. He loves us in spite of our sin, and gave His son, Jesus Christ, so that we may live. Thank you, Lord!

The Victorious Life IS:

• The life that God wants to see lived by us.
• The growing consistency of a close walk with the Lord.
• Jesus Christ Himself living in us and through us.

The Victorious Life IS NOT:

• Sinless perfection.
• Trying harder to live up to God’s standard.
• A burden to be carried in our own strength.

Look to Jesus.  Look to the cross.  Live in victory!

2 Chronicles 29:31-36 describes the first “thank offerings” brought to the temple when King Hezekiah restored worship there. It describes a scene of sudden, abundant thankfulness to the Lord. So much, in fact, that there weren’t enough priests to handle all of it – they had to call in “extra” help.

Giving sudden, abundant thanks to the Lord. We live with constant communion with God available to us freely through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No ritual consecration, no qualification to come into His presence. All too often, we take this as an entitlement and we neglect to see the awesome privilege which has been bestowed upon us by the almighty God.

In King Hezekiah’s time, the people were grateful to have temple worship restored, and they flooded the altars with thousands of sacrifices to express their thanks to the Lord. As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, let us have the same heart – for Christ has given us more than we could ever deserve.

Last night I taught at our School of Ministry, so Tyler went to sleep without me there to help tuck him in.  He was asleep by the time I got home, unaware that his loving father had arrived and was watching over him.

God, our Father, never leaves or forsakes us. But there are times when we “sleep” unaware of His loving presence. Often times, all it takes is the realization that He is here, and He loves us, to completely change our outlook in this new day.

Thanks, Tyler for the example!