Month: January 2024

Here is an interesting question. Something to really think about. As believers, we should strive to feel it. The question is this…”Would you like to experience God?” I imagine that most of us probably have. And I also imagine that some people really don’t care. And that is so unfortunate. Not sure why anyone would not want to experience God. But there are people out there that don’t. They have no desire to. But I do think one of the main reasons why is because they have never experienced God. And I bet there are several reasons why that’s the case.

Now, this part might step on toes. And I don’t apologize for doing so. But I’m going to suggest that many people have no desire to experience God because they have encountered “religious” people at some point in their life. I put that word in quotes for a reason. Because there are people out there that do not represent what God stands for. Even though they proclaim to do so. They say one thing, and they do another. They act one way in public, and they act another in private. And that is why I say that some people have been turned off to wanting to experience God. I say it is because they have come across people that behave the way I mentioned. Sound familiar?

Let’s finish with something that’s more uplifting. God really loves you. God really loves me. God really loves everyone. And everyone means…Everyone! So that means God loves everyone that you know. Know of. Hear about. Etc. God loves everyone. And that means that God wants to have a relationship with you. God wants you to experience him. That’s part of being part of the creation. He is waiting for us to turn to him. And I fully believe and trust this: Once we experience God, we’re going to want to experience him more, and more, and more. Then that will dictate how we act in our daily lives. And then other people should be able to see that in us. Which should lead them to want to experience God, and not be turned off by religious people. 

One thing I love about what I get to do, is when I have conversations with those that support us. Those that believe in us. Those that are part of the ministry’s family. It’s really very humbling. Sometimes the conversations are keeping me accountable. And I love that as well. During one of the recent conversations that I had, we were talking about trying to figure out the best way to serve our Lord and Savior.

As we were talking, we were discussing Paul. How in Philippians, he talked about people knew that he was “there” for Christ. That people knew that he was doing all he could to serve God. We agreed that we hope that others think the same of us. That when people see us, or hear us, that they know that we’re serving God. 

I often say if you give me long enough, I can mess things up pretty well. I also believe that if I get out of God’s way, he will do amazing things. If I just let him take control, lives will change. Including mine. In Proverbs, we see that God will lead the way. We can make all the plans we want. We can set up all the opportunities that we want. We can make all the preparations that we want. We can have all of the conversations that we want. But only God can provide the steps to make it happen. And it will be for our good. And for the good of those around us. For the good of those that we come in contact with. And then, there will be no doubt that people will see that we are here for Christ. And that is awesome.

Sometimes it is so easy for us to get caught up in the worldly things. So easy for us to put our priorities in the wrong places. So easy for us to lose sight of what truly is important. We catch ourselves longing for what we don’t have. We look around and we start comparing ourselves to those who have more. Wishing we did too. The world tells us success is built upon possessions. Success is built upon material value. Success is built upon financial wealth.

Now…I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with these things. I have said that before. Many times. God will bless us in different ways. For some it is financially. Because he knows that they can handle that type of success. He knows that they have worked to achieve it. And he knows that they understand what it took to get there. And they stayed humble along the way. Others of us are blessed in other ways. Maybe it’s a job where we get to serve dozens of people. Maybe it’s with a larger family. Where we get to raise children to be servants of God. Or maybe it’s a life lived alone. Because he knows it will grow our faith in him and show others who he is. There are so many examples. Too many to mention here.

Point I’m trying to make here is that whatever we are blessed with, we should stay humble. Whatever situation we are put in, we should stay humble. Whatever the world says about us, our status, we should stay humble. The Bible tells us to do so. If we do so, and we keep our eyes on the Lord, he will show us a glory we will never be able to comprehend. He will honor us. And he will bless us. Continually. I believe that is because that will be part of our witness. Our testimony. We will be able to show others who he is. We can show them what he has done. And what he will do. We will be able to witness to others in ways we never dreamed. Humility is a blessing. It truly is. Serving God is a blessing. It truly is. Be humble, and watch your life be blessed. Because God loves you. Always has. Always will.

Have you ever struggled to find the will of God for your life? I certainly have. Have you ever felt like a failure with God? I have. Have you ever struggled trying to hear the voice of God? I know I most certainly have. Sometimes it’s difficult for us to learn what is God is telling us. Sometimes it is not very clear. Other times it is obvious. There is no doubt.

Years ago I was in my last semester of finishing my Bachelors of Science in Psychology. But I did not feel the pull to go to graduate school. And that was pretty necessary at that time to have a career in that field. One day I was in my old high school gymnasium filming a commercial for seatbelts. And I just felt like I was being told to go into coaching. So I began praying right there for God and let me know what he wanted me to do. That night I got a phone call from a woman that I did not know. Asking me to coach their high school basketball program. Pretty obvious what God was telling me. So I coached for 28 years.

Other times he hasn’t been quite as clear. As a matter of fact, sometimes he delayed his desires for me. In late 2016, and going into early/mid 2017, Barbara and I were trying to figure out what God had in store for us to do. He wasn’t showing us. So we learned that it was during that time he was preparing our hearts for what was ahead. We continually prayed for wisdom on where he wanted us to serve. We had left a ministry that we absolutely loved being a part of. When that door closed, it broke our hearts. We didn’t know why at the time. But by the end of 2017, it was clear. It took those several months of listening to the silence. God was speaking to us. But in a quiet way. Once we realized where he wanted us to serve, Charlie 22 Outdoors was born. God wants to speak to you. And he will. Sometimes it is through silence. Sometimes it’s very loud. It’s in your face. Either way, it’s up to us to discern what the plan is. And when we do, his glory will be revealed through us to others. How awesome is that!

I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that our Lord and Savior hears our prayers. I have seen answers to prayers. I have heard about answers to prayers as well. One of the first things Barbara and I do each morning before she leaves is pray. I pray over her. I pray over our family. I pray over our day. I pray that God brings people in our lives that we can serve. Throughout the day I lift up people who need prayer. I send out prayer requests for those who ask for them. And before every event, we ask that our prayer warriors pray over the event.

The Bible teaches us about a woman who pestered a judge. She was relentless. She continued until the judge finally gave into her request. Then Jesus talks about God who hears our cries. How God hears our prayers. Now…he’s not comparing the judge to God. He’s saying that God hears our cries. And that we should be praying day and night. He loves to hear from us. Those of us with children, who no longer live at home, love it when we hear from our kids. Whether through a text, phone call, Facebook message, etc. It warms our hearts. Our prayers are the way that we can talk to God as his children.

I have been asked that if God already knows our hearts, and God already knows the plan, then why should we pray. I have also been asked why should we pray if God does not answer our prayers. I believe that prayer is a gift from God to us. It builds our faith. We can trust that he hears our prayers. And whether we believe it or not, he answers our prayers. All of them. Sometimes his answers are by not responding. We may not like it. But that’s the way it is. Just like sometimes we don’t act on what our kids ask us to do. He doesn’t act on it or respond because that is what’s best for us. He knows what is best for us. So today I encourage you to lift up your concerns to God. Lift up your rejoices as well. He loves to celebrate with you. Begin the practice of praying daily. And watch what happens in your life. I promise you, it will be blessed. Because God loves us. Always has. Always will.

We cannot control the trials of life, but we can control our responses. Often times, the trials we face end in tragedies that are unimaginable. But we can still control our responses. Sometimes the trials end in triumphs that we didn’t see coming. And we can still control our responses. Point is, no matter what it is we face or we go through, we can control how we respond to trials. Not easy sometimes. But doable. 

COVID brought a new trial unlike any we had ever seen. It hit the world with a force that we couldn’t believe. Still can’t. We are still feeling the effects of the virus. Think about how life has changed. How quickly it happened. Think about the tragedies that came out of it. Think about the successes as well. And think about your response. Think about how you controlled, or didn’t control, how you reacted to it. None of us were prepared for the emotional, physical, or financial consequences. We’d never seen or experienced that level of chaos. 

In the Bible, James, the brother of Jesus, tells us how to handle trials like these. He tells us to consider them pure joy. He tells us to do so because times of trial test our faith. But more importantly, can develop perseverance. The past few years have been hard. No doubt. But we have learned a few lessons. Let me provide three lessons that I think are important. We must work to guide our emotions. Not let them guide us. Striving to find joy in all situations. We must work towards a destination. A goal. And realize that we develop endurance working towards that goal. We should work to gain wisdom. Godly wisdom. Wisdom that will see us through the trials that are coming. Because they are going to come. If we do these things, we will mature and grow. People will see us and want to know how it is we are getting through. And we can tell them it is God. It’s our faith. Think of that witness! Very powerful! Don’t forget, God has prepared you for what’s ahead. And he will be here for you during those times. Because he loves us. Always has. Always will.

Retired Army Chaplain Foster is one of our board members. We met several years ago and have maintained contact ever since. He and his wife are part of the Charlie 22 Outdoors family. He has been a guest. And now they volunteer with us. Chapman Foster helped us write our 22 day devotion. 

At an event of ours that he spoke at, he talked about us being fishers of men. Talked about it is our duty to show others the light that comes from Jesus. Talked about how we never know what we’re gonna say, at that one moment, that’s going to make an impact on somebody. And he is so right. It’s our job. It’s our way of honoring what took place on the cross 2000 years ago. Plus, I view it as a command. Thus…it’s our obligation.

The Bible tells us, “Therefore, go and make disciples.” I don’t look at that like a suggestion. I read that as we are being “told” to do this. The Bible is our manuscript. It is our guide for life. And it is telling us to do go make disciples. We are called to be servants for Jesus. And that means we are called to be servants for others. To lift them up. To show them grace. To show them hope and love. To show them the way to eternity with God. That’s not a burden. That is something we should honor and love doing. As Chaplain Foster said, we never know what we’re going to say, at that one moment, to that one person. So maybe today is the day for you to get into the game. Maybe today is the day for you to begin serving your Lord and Savior. To show others who he is. Or, maybe today is the day for you to get to know him. To learn who he is. To start a relationship with him. He will show you where he can use you. All you have to do is be willing and look for the opportunities. Because he loves you. Always has. Always will.

What is it you’re holding onto that causes anxiety? What is it that you’re getting ready to face that’s causing anxiety? Bills to pay? Medical issues? Health issues? The list can go on, and on, and on. Are you looking for a calm? How about a peace? How about a hope? Is your heart weighed down? Are you in a constant state of worry? Well you are not alone. Many of us are.

The good news is you are also not alone in having a Lord and Savior that loves you. You are one of God’s children. And he has you in his hands. In Philippians, the Bible tells us to “rejoice” in the Lord. And if you continue reading, it says “always” at the end of that command. Yes you read that right. Command. Rejoicing is a command given to us. And “always” has no end. There is no category. I read that as meaning rejoice in everything.

Now I know this is hard to do sometimes. How can we rejoice when we are losing a loved one? How can we rejoice when we lose a job? How can we rejoice when things just don’t go our way? The answer is simple: Recognize we have a sovereign God. Recognize that he is on the throne, and he is in control. Not you. Not me. Not anyone. God is in control. The things we are facing might not go away. But recognizing that we have a sovereign God, calms your fears. Your anxiety decreases. Your worry decreases. And then you can see where you can rejoice. Ever hear the saying, “Let go. Let God.” Maybe today is the time to let go. Maybe today is the time to let God take control.

Do you know your purpose? It is a question that I’m sure many of us have asked about ourselves. Do you have certain habits that you do each day? Are the habits that you are doing each day healthy? I’m asking these questions, because I think there is a direct correlation between purpose and habits.

Here’s something that I have read about purpose. I’m going to quote it. “If you truly want to pursue your purpose and reach your full potential in life, then you must face up to these two truths: Truth #1: God has placed more within you than you realize. Truth #2: You likely have settled for the life you’re living now.” Does that sound familiar? I bet many of us can relate to both of these truths. Even though we can relate to these, we must remember this, God sees us through eyes of love and forgiveness. He understands where we are. He sees that. He also understands where we can be. Where we should be. He sees all the possibilities that we can fulfill.

Now, here is how I think habits play into this. Habits are actions that we take every day. What we “build our habits on” is very important. Jesus called Himself the cornerstone. Basically, he is what we should construct our habits on. Our lives on. The foundation. If we build our habits, with Jesus as the foundation of them, I think that we can begin to see what our purpose is. Let’s daily turn to Jesus. Seek him in all that we do. If we do this, he will reveal his purpose for us. It will be very clear. If you don’t mind, let me suggest something. Begin each day with praying and reading. Pray that God puts somebody in your path that you can serve. Pray for the strength to be the light to those that don’t know Jesus. Read the Bible for wisdom. Let reading the Bible be the foundation of our faith. If we make these are habits, then we will see just exactly what God created us for.

Ever catch yourself getting upset about something that really is minor in the scheme of things? Sure you have. We all do. Or at least I know that I do. You wake up and the day begins with your phone not charged. Maybe you forgot to wash your clothes that you needed for the day. Your children are fighting over the bathroom. Or there’s no milk left for the cereal. You get the point.

It’s easy to get complacent about day-to-day things. Easy to get caught up in being frustrated about having to deal with those things. A dead battery on a cold morning. A flat tire on the highway. The oven not working. Maybe it’s the television reception going in and out. I am fully aware that these are first world problems. But we have them. And when they don’t go our way, we get frustrated.

What I’m trying to say is that it’s easy for us to get sidetracked and anxious about things when stuff does not go as we planned it. It is easy for frustration to set in. But it’s also easy for us to find the blessings if we just look. They are everywhere. Even in times when Satan attacks. A friend of mine sent me a message on Facebook. It’s very fitting for today’s devotion. “The deepest level of worship is praising God through the pain, thanking God through the trials, trusting Him when we’re tempted to lose hope, and loving Him, even when He seems distant! Whatever you do, never loose hope my friends! Trust in him always.“ God has this. God has you. God has me. God has us all. Because God loves us. Always has. Always will.