Psalm 33:11 - But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever!

We've recently challenged our kids to memorize 6 scripture verses in 6 weeks. We're sequencing the verses so they learn about God's purpose in their life. This weeks verse was Psalm 33:11 - "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever."

I've been working with the kids all week to memorize this. We've used various tools. One of which was to have the kids put their hand prints in sand... and then I shook the container with the sand and their hand print disappeared. We likened this to the way we try to make plans on our own, but the storms of life can wash them away. Then the second time we added water to the sand so it was a bit "firmer" and they put their hand prints in it. Of course, upon shaking it, the hand print lasted a bit longer but with enough sustained shaking it too was erased. The third time, we put their hand print in the wet sand and then filled the imprint with wet plaster of Paris. Then after about 10 minutes it had set enough that upon shaking it the hand print remained. Then we removed the hand print and it was "firm forever". What a great illustration of the way we can rely on our Lord.

What I have witnessed over the last 2 weeks both at work and in general society is people grasping for stability. The economy is taking, the credit crisis has finally come back to bite our insatiable appetites for "stuff", things at work are constantly changing and never quite certain. Though the future seems dim in some ways it seems bright in other ways.

I believe it was providential that God has us teaching the kids this verse this week. Because when we teach something to someone else, we actually learn it for ourselves. Instead of grasping our 401(k) for security, instead of clinging to our job for significance, instead of believing a political candidate can save us from peril, won't you first grasp for the Lord?

You see this verse - Psalm 33:11 starts with the small but poignant word "BUT." But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever.

"What about political candidates and presidential elections", you say? BUT THE PLANS OF THE LORD STAND FIRM FOREVER.

"What about the economic situation and the bailout package?" BUT THE PLANS OF THE LORD STAND FIRM FOREVER.

"What about corporate mergers and reorganizations?" BUT THE PLANS OF THE LORD STAND FIRM FOREVER.

Don't you see... the only thing that stands firm is God's plans. Everything else is just a situation He is using to get us to recognize His plan for us. Please in this time of turbulence and uncertainty as you grasp for stability, make sure you grasp the only thing that stands firm forever... He will not disappoint you.

What do they say after the event is over?

Last night in Bible Study Fellowship I was challenged. And I can't get it off my mind. We're currently studying the Life of Moses. We were discussing the role that Moses' parent's played in his protection from Pharaoh's infanticide orders. The principle was that "Faith always allows you to play an important role in God fulfilling His plans."

The leader went on to ask a question to make the application of the principle. "For whose glory are you participating in activities for?" You see... we often accept the responsibility to serve with the wrong motives. We seek the praise or accolades and are disappointed because they are not given or misappropriated to someone else. Yet, if we accepted these requests "in faith" that means we truly are agreeing that God should receive the Glory and not ourselves. So if you can't answer this question by saying that you intend to give God the glory... then you really aren't serving in faith.

And as if this wasn't enough, the teaching leader went on to ask... " 'After the event is over, what do the other people say? Do they say, Wow! God really showed up here!" Or do they say, " Wow, Jim really did a good job on that one?" UGH! That one hit home. While I would hope they would see God, I recognize all too often I'm concerned about my image or how I'm being perceived by those I'm serving. This points out my lack of faith in serving. . . and I'm so embarrassed to admit it.

Lord, please work a mighty miracle in me and change my attitude. Help me get out of the way so the men in BSF can see more of You and less of me. The same goes for my family, my friends, my coworkers, and my friends... help them all see more of You because of my service... and help me get out of the way.

Thank you David, for showing me more about what servant leadership is like... and truly last night "God really showed up!"

Constantly whining...never appreciative

Tonight I must admit was not one of my finer parenting moments. As you can imagine and many of you have experienced, bringing home a new baby is a huge adjustment for the entire family. And today was my first day back at work. We have some very gracious parents and Nicole's parents volunteered to come over for the day and assist with the older children while Nicole took care of Everett and got some much needed rest. Yet for children who are used to having a structured day, the last 3 weeks have been anything but normal or structured for them. Admittedly they spent some time with both sets of loving grandparents and we would expect them to be doted on and spoiled. And this past week - after they returned home and we came home from the hospital - I was with them and I'm not the most structured individual myself. So today when I got home they were like live wires. Bouncing around the house and picking on one another atrociously. We sat down to eat or meal to which both kids turned up their nose and pronounced it to be "gross." Though they'd never eaten any of it. And being stubborn as I am - and perhaps a bit old fashioned - I told them that we were eating was what was on the table or nothing at all. So of course they decided to eat something... even if it was bread and butter (hold the bread and heavy on the butter.)

So then we take baths.... and all @#$$ broke loose. Claire had gotten a scratch on her foot earlier in the day. And well-meaning Grandma bandaged it with a band-aid... But fearing the water would "hurt the boo-boo" and make the band aid come off... Claire went ballistic on me. It was all we could do to get her in and out of the bathtub without smoke coming out her ears and her eyes completely turning red. (And you think I'm kidding....) So then we got her calmed down and started our nighttime ritual which normally involves reading the Bible, praying for each other, and worshipping God in song. But tonight was constant sobbing and crying about this boo-boo which hurt so badly. Nothing we could do was going to stop the perceived hurting of this scratch. And it only got worse.

So it ended with Claire losing the privilege of being part of our Family Bible Time and having to stay in her room by herself until she regained composure. (Incidentally, that never happened and she fell asleep literally screaming...) The rest of us proceeded to have Bible time, but it was anything but praiseful. I was grouchy and irritable, Nicole was in tears, and Owen kept asking "what's wrong?"

After everyone was down and the house was quiet, I proceeded to lay prostrate on the floor for a little while and decided to practice the Bible verse we've been teaching the kids lately... Psalm 46:10... "Be still and know that I am God." Just sitting there listening - and expecting to hear - God's voice I realized that what happens on earth is a reflection of what is going on in the spiritual realm as well. I realized that God must feel like me much of the time. As we complain and whine that we are hurting when there is far greater suffering and deprivation on the face of the earth, He surely must get frustrated. As we moan and grumble that he's not giving us our "Band-aid" He surely must be upset as He's already given us so much. As he sets a plate of perfectly nutritious food in front of us, and we proclaim it "gross" he must be ready to throw the dish into the trash and let us know what true hunger feels like.

Yet the difference became completely obvious to me... I snapped and He doesn't. I couldn't take it any more. I used Bible time as a sort of punishment for Claire. She didn't get to participate in what is meant to be worship and praise for our Creator. It ruined it for everyone ... not just her... not just our family... but I'm sure for God Himself too. And as I contrasted my behavior with that of God's... I realize just what "long suffering" means when the Bible describes God's character. Though He would have every right to snap at us and withhold privileges from us... He doesn't. He continues to show us mercy. He continues to take the brunt of our whining and ungrateful spirit. And for what? Only to get more of it later on. But somewhere in there is the opportunity for us to learn. For us to realize that there is a dark chasm between He and us... we will never be exactly like Him.... and the only way across the chasm is to rely fully on Jesus. So tonight I plead with you as I am doing, to ask Jesus to cover us and help us show God the love, respect, gratitude and devotion he deserves. And if you don't want... I'll invite you to come spend a night with Claire when she gets into one of these moods again - so you can realize what constant whining and no appreciation really feels like. :)

God bless you, my friends... I covet your prayers as I pursue becoming a more gracious and merciful father to my precious blessings.

Everett Samuel Bishop - Welcome to our world

He's here.... the long anticipated arrival of our 3rd child came with a mix of schedule and suspense. Nicole's blood pressure was creeping up and the doctor felt it wasn't worth running a risk of getting into emergency situations so she scheduled an induction for Wednesday morning at 7:00 am. Tuesday night we took the kids to Grandma and Grandpas and came home to get settled in for a good nights rest before the big day.

Yet at 11:30 Nicole sat straight up in bed and announced it was time to go. The baby decided to arrive unscheduled and on his own time. We loaded into the car drove to the hospital and Nicole was checked in yet wasn't in a great amount of pain. So the nurses were taking their time. We were moved to a delivery room and the IVs were placed... but not without some challenges. While they were placing the IVs Nicole started having some stronger and stronger contractions and by the time they were done she was ready to push. The doctor was still at home in bed, so after a hurried trip to the hospital she arrived just in time to put on her catchers glove and announce to Nicole - already in great distress - that it was too late for pain meds so we were going to do this "au natural" much to Nicole's chagrin. Actually, her exact words were, "THIS IS NOT A CLUB I WANTED TO BE A MEMBER OF." Stated rather emphatically.

In 20 minutes, Everett Samuel arrived at 3:17 am. 7 lbs 12 oz. 20.5 inches long.

Here are some pics of our latest miracle with more to come... as they are taken.

Temptation and choices

Have you ever been tempted and believed there was no way out but to give in? I have a dear brother who has been struggling for quite some time with a lot of issues in his life. It is always three steps forward and two steps back. Yet the steps back seem to bite much harder than the victories of moving forward. Despite protection mechanisms we've built into our relationship to help him realize there is a physical way out by calling me and alerting me of his intentions, he circumnavigated the process recently and gave in once again.

OK, so what's the big deal you say. We all stumble in many ways. Isn't that what the book of James says? (James 3:2) Of course it is. And we all fall short. And we are always to forgive. Yes, yes and yes. It is not about the falling short that I'm concerned - though the repeated pattern of failures makes it more difficult to encourage him that there is victory in the end. It is about the lack of asking someone else for help. You see, I've asked him what he needs from me. I've asked him to call me when he's having trouble. The Spirit alerted me to some of his challenges about a week before they happened and despite my many attempts to contact him (email, telephone, text messages) he didn't return my messages. There were many confirming circumstances that this friend was in trouble. And I tried to intercede through prayer and physically intervene. Yet he chose to go another route and make a series of poor choices once again. The damage is done. Two more steps backward. And though he tells me he's renewed his Relationship with Christ and that is going to help, I don't have much confidence.

You see, the Bible tells us that no one has seen God. No one. But if we believe we see God's representatives around us at all times. Those that carry Jesus in their heart are the representation of our Heavenly Father here on Earth. Therefore when we face times of trial or temptation - we should call out to others for help as a way of asking God for help. We pray and pray for deliverance from temptation (when really what we want is a "genie" to make it disappear) instead God has already provided us His hands and feet here on earth. They are other brothers and sisters. And at very least - we should accept the help that is offered to us. But we don't. Pride gets in the way. We want to be independent and slay our dragons all by ourselves. But this will not work. Why not? Because God says all he needs is a broken spirit and a contrite heart. That is the antithesis of pride isn't it?

So while temptation may seem like the dragon you need to slay ... and you attempt to do that by modifying your actions to temptation... perhaps the real dragon you need to kill once and for all is PRIDE. Reach out to others. Call someone else if you're tempted. Respond to a a friends attempt to contact you. Believe that the Spirit speaks to others on your behalf and their attempt to contact you is not only earthly but divine. Failure to rely on others and reach out for help will bite you all the time not because they single-handedly can take away your problem. But because it shows God you have a contrite heart willing to lay down your own pride.

None of us is strong enough to fight it alone... but together - when God's people unite - there is nothing that can defeat God.

Know that if you're reading this - my brother - that I'm willing to serve and assist. You've just got to let me in.

Warfare... beware

Does life ever get you down? The task list never seems to grow smaller, the kids never seem to play independently anymore, etc... You're so busy preparing that you forgotten to enjoy the moment? This describes me lately. Here are just a few of the events going on...

1. The house remodeling is nearly complete but now there are the fix-up projects like hanging blinds, fixing drywall, painting rooms etc. This has consumed my time lately. Correction, I've let it consume my time lately.
2. The kids got to spend a few days with my parents last week. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They swam with cousins, took tractor rides, played with kittens, and were completely spoiled by Nana and Papa's love.
3. Oh, and did I say my wife is 8.99 months pregnant and ready to go into labor at any moment, so our plans consist of 2 hour increments as we assess the landscape and potential for baby's arrival at any time.

So amid these distractions I noticed several things happening. When the kids came home they were not happy and jovial. They were tired, grouchy and irritable. Sometimes they were downright hateful in the things they would say and do towards us. I was also frustrated with my lack of pro activity as a father and as a husband and the fact that these house projects had kept me from giving my best to those I love the most. Then when I did attempt any project it was taking about 2 times longer than it should have and inevitably causing me to question my skills (or lack thereof) as a handyman.

I start hearing the voices again. (No I'm not bi-polar...) You know those voices. The ones that whisper in your ear "You're not good enough." or "You're a terrible father." or "You'll never be able to fix this problem." or "Any other man could figure out this issue, why can't you." Only a few minutes into this and I had convinced myself that I was a failure as a father, a husband, a manager, an employee, a Christian, and as a son. Ultimately I was defeated and lethargic. Amazing how quickly this happens, isn't' it.

I chose to get up early the next morning and go for what I call a "perspective walk." These walks are not for physical health but for spiritual health. On these walks I go slowly around our neighborhood and pause in front of random houses or mailboxes. I ponder what goes on behind those walls. Do others have these thoughts of self-doubts? Is this marriage in trouble? Are these kids in crisis? Does this household know Jesus? As I ponder these things I start to realize we live in hurting world that needs Jesus. My focus becomes others and less about self. When this happens I realize I doubt myself less and am able to discern the lies going on in my head.

Yet something unique happened on this walk. Between houses and between mailboxes as I walked the sun peaked up over the horizon and the most brilliant colors started penetrating the otherwise black sky. As I watched this masterpiece unfold - seemingly just for me - I heard that stirring in my spirit that only the Holy Spirit can create - and it said... "Beware. Warfare is all around you. Satan is trying to take you down. I will protect you. But you need to be vigilant for you and for your family."

Oh friends, warfare is all around us. Grouchy kids. Irritable spouses. Financial problems. All of these can be orchestrated for the purposes of taking our focus away from Jesus and from others. When this happens we place it all on ourselves and ultimately we - as a body- become tired and lethargic.

Join me in recognizing it for what it is. It is not "life" as many of us commonly refer to it. It is Satan and his attempts at distracting us from the Joy life is meant to bring. Join me in praying for protection from the warfare and for the joy of life to return to you as it did to me through a ray of sunshine!

Postlogue: The next morning I went for a similar walk. But this one was for prayer. I specifically wanted to lift up my young son in prayer as he has really been the recipient of much of the warfare. We could easily say it is because he is 4 and that is what 4 year olds do... but I know him better. God has given him more potential than this. After the reminder that warfare is all around us I pleaded with the Holy Spirit to provide protection from this for the next 24 hours so we could see the difference. And amazingly - and predictably- the next 24 hours were one of seeing joy again in our little boy's life. Shouldn't we be praying this daily? Won't you join me?

Make it Count!

It is amazing how much God speaks to me through my conversations with others. Recently I was having a conversation with a friend who has recently come through some very challenging health situations. This health situation was so severe that should it have gone undetected, he would have died suddenly without warning. Fortunately, he had some minor symptoms and upon investigation the problem was detected, corrected, and removed. Sounds simple huh? Well there were major surgeries, months of rehab and countless changes in lifestyle required to make this healing occur over the course of the last 6 months. All the while this person was off of work and out of commission in his home, many many people picked up the extra work and attended to his needs so he could focus solely on recovery. Suffice it to say it was like a ripple effect. Even my wife, kids and friends sacrificed something for this man because I chose to put in extra hours at work to cover the load of his absence.

Now he is back at work. For all purposes no one would know any different - by observing him - you may assume he doesn't even know any difference. Same attitude, same work performance, but shy a few inches from his waistline. Yet I fear lack of discipline will be this persons demise. You see, the doctors have ordered a strict diet and exercise change to make the healing last. Yet it is disconcerting to me to see that he continues in his old ways eating the same foods and acting in such a way that nothing ever happened. As I watched him eat, I jokingly chided him about what he was consuming. Then I realized I was more than joking... I was downright upset. But why was I upset? As I analyzed it I realized I was upset because I felt cheated. I personally sacrificed for his recovery. Even my family - indirectly - sacrificed for his recovery. The Doctors, nurses and rehab workers all sacrificed immensely for his recovery. Not to mention his own wife, kids, family, and other friends... collectively 1000s of man-hours were spent directly and 1000s more spend indirectly to literally save and redeem this man's life from death's early grip. But he seems now not to care. Well, I suppose he cares. At least he says he does. He says the right words. He says "Thank You." And he tells us how reflective he is and how much this has changed his viewpoint of life. Yet words without action seem empty and useless. I mean if it hasn't changed his viewpoint enough that he's willing to alter his diet or exercise then he really hasn't gone through enough of a viewpoint change. At present state, none of the sacrifice really seems to matter.

I decided that I cared enough about this person that I must share my thoughts with him. I told him about my joking... and the honesty behind it. I shared with him the sense of violation I felt not to mention how is wife must feel when she sees his unaltered state of lifestyle choices. My parting words to him were this... "If you really cared about what people did for you while you were laid up and recovering, don't just tell us... show us. Make it count by changing your behaviors."

As I heard myself say these words it was as if the Holy Spirit descended upon me, took control of my mouth, and opened the ears of my heart. He was saying to me... "don't just tell me you're thankful for my Son's sacrifice... show me. Make it count by changing your behaviors." Needless to say, I've been wrestling with the Spirit the last few days trying to Make it Count... by changing my behaviors to show HIM I'm eternally grateful!

God bless my friends... please pray for my friend as well that in this temporal world, he will make the choices necessary to show the others he is thankful for their sacrifice.