Customer Service

God was willing to save Sodom for the sake of 10 righteous people but United won't hold a flight for 8 people. My flight from Billings to Denver was delayed due to earlier mechanical difficulties. There were at least 8 other people trying to make the same connection to Dallas. We only missed our connection by a few minutes and yet when we got there - not only was the gate closed but there wasn't even a gate attendant to help us make other arrangements. So I ended up spending the night in Denver on United's tab. The worst part was having to go through security again this morning.

Bunch Ball

I spent the evening watching my 6 year old daughter play soccer. She is such an encourager. I think she would make a better cheerleader than soccer player, but she had fun. We are thankful for uncles from Texas that are visiting and got to witness the first soccer game of the season.

Contemplating Easter

Why did Peter and John race to the tomb on Easter morning when Mary told them that the tomb was empty.  

Their first response was not to rejoice and exclaim that the savior had risen as he had promised.  Their first response was one of doubt.  They had to see it for themselves - perhaps the women had made a mistake and been at the wrong tomb.  I'm not sure - what they were thinking.

I do know that even after they had seen the empty tomb they went home and locked themselves in the upper room because they were afraid.

How do we handle the news that Christ is risen?  How does it affect our daily lives?

John 20:1–10 (NLT)  The Resurrection

20 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.

I love technology, but between blogs, twitter, FB, etc. it can overwhelm your life - I refuse to update all of these things - but am trying a service called ping - ping.fm - check it out.

Baptizing 6 people tonight. Yeah God!!!

I'm contemplating the hope and purpose of Easter. 86% of Americans believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Yet over 50% of Americans believe they can be saved through good works. If we can do it ourselves, why did Christ have to come to earth, die on the cross, and rise again?

Whatever you wish

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7, ESV)"

How often do we read these words or think of this verse and focus on only the last part - "Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." We often times think of God as a heavenly vending machine and prayer is the quarter that gets us what we want. But this promise from Jesus, like so many promises in the bible is conditional. "IF YOU ABIDE IN ME AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU".

What does it mean to abide, well as we look at the context of this verse we see that Jesus has just got done saying "I am the vine, you are the branches...Abide in me and I in you". It is evident that He means a whole lot more than simply "If you are a Christian". A lot of people look at this verse and think it says - "If I am a Christian I can ask for anything I want, and God will give it to me". And then they get upset when their prayers aren't answered the way that they want them to be.

In light of what Jesus is talking about it becomes clear that "To abide" means to live our life dependent upon Christ for our very existence. If He is the VINE and we are the BRANCH, we will wither and die if we try to live our life apart from Him. This is the key to answered prayer - not only do we live our lives as "Christians" but we live our life dependent upon Him for our very existence.

I believe that we find when we live our lives dependent upon Him for our very existence, the nature of our prayers will change and be in line with what God wants for us rather than what we want for ourselves and when we pray for what God wants - He will gladly give us whatever we wish for.

So why is this so difficult for most people (myself included)?

"Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love." (John 15:9-10, ESV)

If we truly abide in Jesus - we will keep ALL of His commandments just as thoroughly as He kept His Father's commandments - that is what it means to truly abide in Christ. Now that is an ambition worth chasing after in life.