Politics

For years I was a political junkie and who knows, by the time the election rolls around I may be again. I hate to think that my vote may be more a vote of opposition than support, but that very well could be the case. There aren't many of the candidates left that really excite me, but there certainly are a few who give me more than a little bit of concern.

The attack on the Christian foundations of our nation, movements towards socialized medicine, the erosion of our constitutional rights to bear arms and free speech all concern me. Thomas Jefferson once said, "I fear for my nation when I realize that God is just." Pretty insightful for a man who has been tagged as a Deist.

The threat of radical Islam concerns me, the government's micro-management of every aspect of our lives and even our thoughts is of even great concern, but the real danger facing America is the continued drift away from the moral and spiritual principals found in God's word. David told us, "Rigtheous exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

So come November what will be the deciding factor in casting your vote? Will it be the economy, the war in Iraq, securing our borders, or will something deeper and more significant influence your choice of political candidates?

26 Hour Day

Sometimes I feel as though I could definitely use a 26 hour day - that or live off of energy drinks for 48 to 72 hours. I guess I should feel blessed that there are so many things in this world that I want to accomplish, if only the things I have to do didin't interfere with the things I want to do.

Time management experts have all kinds of answers for increasing productivity and getting the most out of your day. Stephen Covey reminds us of how the urgent gets in the way of the important; other writers and consultants suggest setting priorities and working smarter, not harder. Here is my own list of guidelines based upon the Life of Christ.

1. Know your mission or objective. From a very early age Jesus knew that he must be about his Father's business. (Luke 2:49) In teaching his disciples he "must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things... be killed and raised again the third day" (Matthew 16:21).

2. Block out time to spend with the Father. Jesus often would escape the multitudes to spend time in prayer. As he approached the final week of his life, his conversations with the Father become more frequent. Our Lord understood the importance of keeping connected to God when the world felt as though it was spinning out of control.

3. Don't let others set your agenda for you. Jesus did not rush to Bethany when Lazarus died (John 11), and as he set out on his journey to Jerusalem, he didn't allow Peter to hinder his trek towards the cross (Matthew 16:23).

When we know our purpose or objective in life and we spend time with the Father sharing our work and mission, then it becomes easier to keep life in the proper perspective. Suddenly all the little distractions seem less important when we know that we are carrying out our Father's purpose.

Will this help me better balance all the things going on in my life - maybe not, but it should help me stay focused on the things that really matter.

Searching for God

I believe all of mankind is on a quest to discover God. While there are those who claim atheism or agnosticism, they too are seeking, but they reject the object of their search. Victor Frankl wrote the classic book, "Man's Search for Meaning." In that book he explains how prisoners coped, or failed to cope in the German concentration camps.

This morning in my quiet time I was reminded of how the busyness of life can get in the way of our time with God. Satan is really good at filling our lives with so much white noise that we neglect the important task of building and maintaining our relationship with God.

One reason I enjoy teaching is that it forces me to be disciplined in my study and prayer time. I once spent two years in a men's discipling program that also emphasized daily study and prayer. As I opened my Bible this morning and spent a few minutes in prayer, I realized how often I have let those disciplines lapse.

I pray that you too are on a journey to know God. That you will make time to build a close relationship with Him through Bible study and prayer. My personal quest is to KNOW GOD, not simply to know about God.

You Never Know

I still recall sitting down at the Starbucks near Wolfchase Mall in Memphis waiting to see if she was as pretty, smart and well-balanced as her online profile indicated. A lot of people are self-conscious about admitting they met through a "dating site," but there are a few advantages: 1) You get to see a picture and read how they describe themselves; 2) You can email and talk for a while before going through that initial face to face meeting; 3) If you are smart, you learn to look for "red flags" that might save you a lot of time and energy down the road.

I learned a lot about myself and about the life that I wanted during my five years of bachelor life. Mostly, I realized how important it was to find someone who shared my values for God, family and the church. The work that I wanted to do and the life that I longed to live all centered around my church family, my Christian service and my desire to raise my children in a godly environment.

It is interesting how God works in our life. We can spend so much time planning and preparing for how we want things to be we forget to include God in the equation. Let me give you a few examples of how God overruled my own lack of understanding.

1. I was never an advocate of long distance relationships, but what a blessing 3 hours of separation has been. We talk together, pray together and have really gotten to know one another. Physical attractions is great - but communication is essential.

2. I thought I was through raising children, but Debbie has two wonderful girls and it has allowed me to see her love, concern and care for those she loves. It has allowed me a deeper look into her heart.

3. I doubted whether I would ever serve in a ministerial capacity in the church again, but her love for God and desire to serve opens so many opportunities for both of us in the years to come.

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering; she grows more lovely every day, she is smarter than those folks who stay at a Holiday Inn Express, and balanced isn't strong enough word to communicate her approach to life, struggles and goals for the future. All of those things have caused me to grow more and more in my love for Debbie Baker, but her heart for God is the one attribute that sent me over the edge.

So next time you sit down for a Caramel Macchiato just remember - "you never know what God might have in store for you."