It's Monday!

Hi Team,
I am sitting in my chair, looking out the window at a beautiful morning...quite different from yesterday afternoon when that nasty thunderstorm hurricaned it's way through our area. My purpose driven devotion this morning was quite fitting. I've included it at the end of this blog.

Coleen and I had a wonderful couple of days last week allowing the Lord to speak to us. There is real benefit in getting away from the normal routine and letting God control our time. God had some wonderful things to say to us and I'm looking forward to sharing with our Worship Arts Team(Liam, Suzanne, Sue, Denise, Andy, Bob) tonight. We started our retreat at Kingdom Bound on Wednesday and were totally blessed by the Newsboys. They debuted their new lead singer, Michael Tate, best known as the lead singer for DC Talk. Their energy and the crowds enthusiasm was electrifying. But the biggest impact on me was from Phil Joel. Phil is a former lead singer and bass player for Newsboys who went solo and discovered how knowing Jesus, not knowing about Jesus, is our purpose. Check out this 4 minute video:

We only get to know Jesus in the same way that we get to know anyone...spending time with Him. How do we do that? There is only one way to make it work in our busy society. It must be intentional and regular. We must discipline ourselves to set the time aside every day to meet with Him. When that time is is up to you to decide. Phil found that it was early in the day. For some of us that's not the best time...then how about later after the kids are in bed. Is there anything on TV that is so good we couldn't shut it off and be quiet before bedtime? Whenever your time is...commit to it and make it a routine or better yet...a habit.

Here's my devotion from this morning...

August 10, 2009 Being Positive in Spite of Your Problems by Rick Warren “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2–4 MSG).

So you think you’ve got problems? Consider Brian Hise: He had more than his share of bad luck a few years ago in July. When his apartment in Provo, Utah, became flooded from a broken pipe in the apartment above his, the manager told him to go out and rent a wet/dry vacuum. That’s when Brian discovered that his car had a flat tire. He changed the tire and went inside again to phone a friend for help. But the electric shock he got from the phone so startled him that he inadvertently ripped the instrument off the wall! Before he could leave his apartment a second time, a neighbor had to kick his door down because by now water damage had jammed it too tight to open. While all this was going on, someone stole Brian’s car! But since it was almost out of gas, Brian found it just a few blocks away. He then had to push it to a gas station where he filled up the tank. That evening Brian attended a military ceremony at the university he was attending. He injured himself severely when he somehow sat on his bayonet, which had been tossed in the front seat of his car! Doctors were able to stitch up Brian’s wound but, in the meantime, no one was able to resuscitate four of his canaries who were crushed to death from the wet, falling plaster in his apartment. He discovered their deaths after arriving home and then slipping on the wet carpet in his apartment, badly injuring his tailbone. Brian said he began to wonder if (and I quote), “God wanted me dead, but just kept missing!” The Bible says, “Is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” (James 1:2–4 LB).

Blessings, Dave