Singing Southern Gospel

Music. If ever there was a non-political or a non-religious word to ignite emotion, that word could do it. There are social, political, and religious discussions that can send people over the top, but get someone in a discussion about good or bad music, and watch what happens!

Perhaps the reason for that is, along with those social, political, and religious topics, music tends to define who we are. When we openly discuss these topics, our values suddenly begin to shine. These things will say more about us than we might otherwise verbalize about ourselves.

While I generally consider myself to enjoy a wide variety of music styles, my roots lie in Southern Gospel. Growing up, I remember listening to the Mull Singing Convention on the radio that featured the Chuck Wagon Gang. I remember watching the Singing Jubilee with the Goodmans and Florida Boys. The Bill Gaither Trio were also favorites of mine. Then, as I got into high school, I began working at our local radio station. We played Southern Gospel music every night, and I learned about the Nelons, Cathedrals, Gold City, and the Kingsmen among others.

During my early adult years, the Gaither Vocal Band was begun. I think they took my music appreciation to a completely different level. Gaither began the Homecoming series of videos, and practically gave this genre of music the proverbial shot in the arm to keep it alive. Groups like the Martins and Signature Sound have risen to popularity, largely with the help of Gaither's Homecoming Series.

I enjoy listening to all these groups. I'm very familiar with many of the older songs because of the radio days. There is one group of young men, though, that has really caught my attention recently. The group is called Soul'd Out Quartet. Honesty compels me to say the reason I began to listen to them is a young man who is an alumnus of my alma mater sings baritone for the group. Later, I learned the bass singer is also an alum.

Several things have impressed me about this group of guys. First, if you click on their website (AFTER you finish reading my blog!), you will notice these are a bunch of young kids! Seriously, I dare say their average age would put them in their late 20s. Another thing I appreciate about them is their talent. They have a really incredible sound. They are able to sing a unique blend of old style southern gospel with a newer, more progressive sound that reflects their age. Third, the guys like to have fun! As you are visiting their website, (again, AFTER you read my blog) check out some of the videos they have uploaded. It is obvious they enjoy being together. I've been able to only attend one of their concerts. But from that experience, combined with visiting with them via social media, etc., I really believe they have a genuine walk with God. That is the most important aspect of anyone in ministry.

I sing in a southern gospel quartet myself. (No, our average age isn't in our 20s.) It is a thrill for me to sing in different places and meet lots of people. The most important part, though, is being able to share Christ, and communicate the gospel message. I hope you will take advantage of listening to some good music today. Let it lift your spirits and encourage you. Most of all, allow yourself to meditate on the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are in need of a relationship with Him, or have questions about that, please feel free to send me a message via my blog. I'd love to share with you!

Worship ~ Express God's Worth To Him

It would probably be a safe bet that most people do not give serious time thinking about worship. There are times that I do, but seriously doubt that I meditate enough on the topic. The church service I attended yesterday seemed to carry a theme of worship.

We must prepare our hearts for worship. When we are quiet and still, we tend to allow our minds to wander. There is always something important in our lives. Whether it is the kids' activities, work, or what's for lunch ~ something is always trying to work its way to the forefront of our minds. As we prepare for worship, we must focus our attention on God. Anything less will hinder our true worship of the true God.

To worship God is to express His worth to us. To worship Him is to allow Him to have His own preeminant place in our mind. When we worship God, we recognize and acknowledge God's supremacy. John the Baptist in the New Testament said it well when he said, speaking of Christ, "He must increase; I must decrease."

Worship involves having a clean and pure heart. If we desire to worship God, we must do so with motives that place God in His rightful place. Sometimes we get our priorities all out of whack. Our minds get out of control. When we realize that, we need to repent; asking God for His forgiveness.

During our service yesterday, I sang a song called, The Heart of Worship. Here are some of the lyrics, "I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it; When it's all about You, It's all about You, Jesus."

My desire is to worship God. My desire is to love God more today than I did yesterday. Do you have a similar desire? What is God worth to you? How can you express that to Him?

Lessons Learned From Facebook Groups

A year or two ago, I began a Facebook group for alumni of my college alma mater. I'm glad for the way it has grown, now well over a thousand members, and a couple more administrators have been added to help manage the group. There is a goal now to reach 3,000 members by July. A lofty goal, but certainly one that is attainable in this technologically saavy world.

Since I attended a Christian college, we have tried to maintain a clean community designed specifically for reconnection and fellowship of lifelong friendships that were forged through the college years. Not long ago, I had to do my administrative duty and set the membership to administration approval only. We had been spammed and it was not a pretty sight.

All was well until a controversial opinion was opened in a discussion forum. Anytime there are opinions, there is potential for hurt feelings. Anytime there are opinions, there is potential for argument and heated discussions.

The administrators exchanged e-mails about how to handle the situation. We did not want to censure anyone's opinions, but at the same time, we wanted to promote fellowship and friends reconnecting instead of potentially divisive issues being promoted in a heated exchange. There is a time and place to work out differences and we felt that was not the appropriate place.

As I was sharing this with my wife, we wondered how God must feel when He sees the way we handle our differences of opinions. He created us to have fellowship with Him. He created us to enjoy this Earth He provided. Have you ever wanted to just take Eve and Adam behind the woodshed a time or three?

Sin has caused problems for the entire human race for centuries. It will continue to cause problems for the duration of the human race as we know it on this Earth. Worst of all, sin has caused an eternal separation from God. But because of God's love for us, He has provided a way to be reconciled back to a relationship with Him. There is only one way and it must be on His terms. After all, He created us; not the other way around.

God sent His son, Jesus, to Earth for the express purpose of living a sinless human life while still God, and becoming a sacrifice for our sin. He accomplished that, and when we place our complete faith and trust in Him and His sacrifice, living to honor Him, we can know beyond doubt that we will live with God for eternity.

While on earth, we will not be free from sin's difficulty. There will continue to be pain and suffering because of sin. But the payment for the ultimate sin debt has been paid. We can accept that payment as our own.

What does all this have to do with a Facebook group page? The discussion of our group members occasionally go away from the true purpose of why the group was created. The fellowship sometimes turns south. As the 'creator' of the group, that disappoints me.

How much more does our wayward actions disappoint the Creator? Yet, He is gracious enough to make a way back to Him. Have you accepted His grace and making your effort to live for Him? If you have, thank Him for His grace today. If you haven't, please send me a message and let me share with you some more about how you, too, can obtain His grace for eternity.

Am I Doing All I Can?

I sang with Trust Quartet at a church yesterday in Indiantown, FL. Since I'm still the 'newbie' in the group, I'm in the process of making my first trips to churches that the group has already visited. Such was the case this week. The group had spoken highly of this church, and the pastor, so I was anxious to see it for myself. I'm not quite sure they spoke highly enough!

Before the worship service, we sat in on a Sunday school class taught by the pastor. I was getting my coffee when Pastor Bruce was catching us up on what the class has been involved in. Three words immediately brought interest: Purpose Driven Life. I've read Rick Warren's book and gone through the study a couple of times already. It really is good stuff. I was impressed with the interaction between this pastor and his people. It was informal, informative, and interesting.

We discussed how important it is to find a place of ministry and DO IT. The opportunities are there. God is equipping His servants to do His work. We need to exercise the willingness of being available to be used. It isn't easy work. It is sometimes thankless work. It can be tiring, but never boring!

The church facilities were beautiful. The church folks were friendly. On this particular Sunday, in addition to hosting Trust Quartet, they were featuring their youth ministry. A group of teens (with their leaders) provided a couple of musical numbers. These young people were so talented! The church is raising money to send these teens to a church camp next month. Sunday for lunch, there was bar-b-cue chicken on the grill with all the fixin's. Simple containers were on the tables for church folks to donate to help the cause. The students stood in a serving line and gave generous portions to us as we held our plates for them. The pastor told us as we were about to leave that they had received just over $2,000!

This church showed me something Sunday. They showed me they love their pastor. They showed me they love their students. They showed me they love their guests who worship with them and lead them in worship. They showed me they want to serve God in whatever opportunity is made available to them. Yes, I was impressed with the church.

Please understand, I've been in some pretty incredible churches. I've been privileged to pastor some as well as lead music and youth in some. I've been able to attend some incredible churches while growing up, and as I've traveled across the southeastern United States. Each one has a couple things in common. First, they are all made up of imperfect human beings. We must realize the humans are not the reason the church is incredible. Second, and most importantly, each of these incredible churches have the common desire to serve Christ in whatever opportunity they have. As you pray for your pastor, your fellow church members / attenders, and your community; do so with this in mind: there is no perfect church, and what can I do to serve God most effectively in this church and community?

For The Beauty of The Earth

"In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth." And so begins the Old Testament book of Genesis. And so begins the Bible. God, the Supreme Being, Who had no beginning and will have no end, began time as humanity knows it by creating the Heavens and the earth. To wrap our minds around that truth theologically could give us a headache.

God created everything and now allows us to enjoy His creation. I'm thankful to know that He still reminds us of His creativity. Such is the case with the picture. I was sitting in the bleachers at our local high school football stadium watching the Spring football game (which VBHS won!), minding my own business, when I looked toward the western sky. I observed a tremendous, "WOW" moment!

I wasn't quite sure how it would look on my phone's camera, but when it came out as good as it did, I wanted to share it with you.

Is Your Spiritual Workout Yielding Positive Results?

I went to the gym yesterday. Now, if you know me personally, please keep reading after you pick yourself up off the floor. There is a local gym near my home and the monthly, no-contract rates are very reasonable, so I joined. I know I have a lot of weight to lose, and a lot of, ahem ~ muscle that needs to get toned up. It will take a long time to return to respectability, but hey, at least I'm trying.

Oh, back to the gym. When I got there, I headed straight for the treadmill. There are two main reasons I headed that direction. One, I figure I shouldn't hurt myself too bad if I'm just walking. If I get into the whole weight lifting routine without someone there to make sure I'm doing it right, could prove disastrous! The second reason, (and these are not in a particular priority order) is because I had my headphones and there were TVs there. I found ESPN and, wouldn't you know it, the treadmill directly in front was available!

I hopped on, (alright, stepped or even climbed, is more accurate) and figured out the computer. I was born well before 1984, so this took a few seconds. After setting the TV sound for the headphones, and the MPH I wanted to walk, and the virtual incline setting, I was finally able to start walking. I walked and walked. According to the distance setting on the computer, I walked a mile. My heart rate got up to about 124 beats per minute. But I didn't move from that one spot.

Do you feel that way in your spiritual life sometimes? I will confess that I do. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing my best to move forward and then realize that I've been at a standstill working up a sweat and going nowhere. We have all the conveniences surrounding us. We make use of all the latest gadgets and technology. We may even listen to Christian music and teaching on the radio exclusively. But we go nowhere.

There are a couple of Scriptural principles to draw from. First, Paul writes a list of things in Philippians 4. He said whatever things are are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Jesus, also while teaching that famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, reminds us to invest our treasures in Heaven rather than here on earth. Are we so invested in things here that we neglect things that are more important?

What could be in your life causing you to be doing lots of things, maybe for good reasons, but not reaching all the potential we really long for? Are there 'good things' that may be standing in your way? Do some evaluating and earnestly seeking God's Word to help you clear the way between you and your relationship with God today.

Lessons from a Sand Trap

Trust Quartet sang at a Baptist church not far from my home this past weekend. Since it was close, I chose to drive rather than ride the bus. I met the group at a restaurant to eat before going to the church to set up and rehearse. Arriving at the church on Saturday afternoon, I watched as the bus made a wide turn in the parking lot. Suddenly the bus stopped. Something didn't look quite right. Ahhh ~ it had gotten stuck in the sand.

In case you aren't familiar with living close to the ocean, everything is quite sandy. No, really ~ it's SANDY!! The bus is quite heavy, and the soft sand was no match. Practically down to the axle, the bus was stuck and it wasn't going anywhere!

The pastor of the church called one of the church members who lived nearby and he brought over his back hoe. We watched as the back hoe pulled a little this way then a little more that way. Eventually, the back hoe pulled the bus out of the sandy trap and we were able to unload it and rehearse a bit before bedtime.

I didn't get much sleep Saturday night. I woke up thinking about how the bus got stuck in the sand. David wrote a Psalm similar to that. He wrote (40:1-3) how that God had rescued him from a life mired in the pit of clay. He spoke of how God had set him back on solid footing. God put a new song in his mouth, and as David sang that new song, people would see it and fear, and trust in the LORD.

In our concerts, we sing a song called Sinner Saved By Grace. That is all we are. Although I'm a Christ follower, and desire to imitate Him as closely as I can, I'm human, and I will fail from time to time. I'm not perfect, but thankfully, I am forgiven and seeking to live as close to what Christ desires as I can.

As we sang that song Sunday, I was thanking God for bringing me out of the miry pit of sinfulness. I'm thankful He has set me on solid footing, and following as closely as I can to Him, people can see Him through me. Isn't that what a Christ-follower should desire to do? Lead people by our example and spoken word to the Christ that longs to free them from the pitfalls in their lives?

Do your best today to find some way to communicate Christ's grace, forgiveness, holiness, and purity to someone you know. Then, pray that what you have said to that person will encourage them to seek to be closer to Christ.

Tweeting the Twenty-third Psalm

I follow Sheila Walsh, a Christian music artist on Twitter. Earlier today, she tweeted, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength."

If you are at all familiar with Scripture, you probably recognize this as being at least a paraphrase of the first part of the Twenty-third Psalm. Many times, if there is a Scripture passage heard on television, this is it. Or perhaps if you've attended a funeral or graveside service, you've heard the minister read this passage.

Many times as pastors, we (I probably should say, 'I' rather than lump all into my tendencies) tend to not preach from Psalm 23 or John 3:16. There are some passages of Scripture that we may feel "everyone knows." Or maybe we feel like the truths from those Scriptures have been exhausted. Oh, Father forgive us! Nothing could actually be further from the truth!

We all need to be consistently reminded of the precious precept that our God meets our every need. We all need to remember that He guides us to perfect peace. It is He who restores and renews us as we rest in Him.

Enjoy meditating on the truth today that He offers to meet our needs. He brings perfect peace. He restores and renews our strength as we rest in Him.

Give It All You've Got!

Our church's men's group (called Master's Men) met Tuesday night. After discussing some projects we in which we want to get involved, I shared with them a principle from Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church. He wrote (15:58) that we should be steadfast, immovable, and that we should always want to be abounding in God's work. He said we should do this, "knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

How many times do we involve ourselves with projects and feel like we are doing no good? Or if we feel like some good is being accomplished, still feel as though it just isn't enough? How often do we not get involved because as we evaluate the good that could be done, we don't see enough value in it?

Be reminded our job is not to determine the value as much as being willing to do what God desires. Our purpose is to do whatever we are able to His honor and glory. When we do that, He will provide the blessing that He sees fit to provide. The little boy who gave his lunch (the five loaves and two small fish) to Jesus simply gave what he had. All of it! Jesus took what was given, blessed it, and proceeded to feed well over 5,000 people with it! And lest we forget, the little boy who gave ALL he had, did not go away hungry. He had plenty to eat himself.

If we will commit to give God ALL we have, He will make sure that our needs are met, and that His purpose will be accomplished, and His Kingdom will continue to be built.

Pray God will give you courage to use whatever you have to honor Him!

Have A Good Morning Stretch!

I've been privileged to sing with Trust Quartet since November 2010. Buzz, Spence, Gary and I and the rest of the Trust Family enjoy bringing Southern Gospel music to as many people as possible. This past weekend, we put the finishing touches on the vocal portion of our newest CD recording. Titled Classics Made New, this project will feature many favorites from years gone by.

Songs like When He Was On The Cross (I Was On His Mind); It Is No Secret; Just A Closer Walk With Thee; Because He Lives; and seven others will be featured on the CD. The music was recorded at Shelton Sound Studios in Dade City, FL by George Shelton, Jr. The experience and expertise George brings to the table is nothing short of phenomenal. Many thanks to George and his wife Gail who make us feel so welcomed and at home in their home.

The recording experience with Shelton Sound Studios has taught me that I can do more with the talent God has given me. There are times when it seems our abilities are maxed out. They can probably be stretched just a bit more. Have you allowed God to stretch you further? Are you willing to be stretched just a little bit more than you thought possible? It might take you out of your comfort zone. It might mean that you rely more completely on God, rather than self.

I hope you will consider visiting our quartet's website. I'd love for you to purchase this CD and enjoy the music. It would be great if you would let us come to your church / venue and sing for you. It would be incredible if you would commit to allow God to stretch you to new heights for His honor and glory!

God's Great Things

"Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

Have there been times in your life when you had no idea which way to turn? Perhaps you had serious questions or concerns about a decision that needed to be made. Maybe you found yourself troubled and afraid of what was about to happen.

The prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testament was known for his somber state of mind. His nickname was The Weeping Prophet. He was a melancholy, if not a depressed man. Yet God wanted to use him to speak to His people. Jeremiah had found himself imprisoned, and God was speaking to him. It was Jeremiah to whom God was speaking when He said, "While you were in your mother's womb, I knew you." What an encouragement to a troubled spirit to remember that the Creator of the Universe knows you ~ individually!

But in 33:3 of Jeremiah, God encourages His prophet to call on Him. Have faith in Him and He would show Jeremiah things he could not even imagine. God has not changed. God is still able to show us things that would simply blow us away!

Be encouraged to trust God to show you His best. He longs to encourage and empower you through His Spirit. Enjoy your relationship with God today and allow Him to simply blow you away!

Tweet of the Day

Today's Tweet of the Day comes to my twitter account from D_Gibson who says, "Don't hate me for who I am. Love me for who I can be."

What truth! In spite of my inconsistencies, immaturity, and instabilities, God doesn't hate me at all. God chooses to love me for the man I can become. He desires that I grow and continue allowing Him to mold and shape me into the vessel He can use best to build His kingdom.

I'm still continuing to wrap my mind around this good news. My desire should be to continually be more like Christ. In light of that, I'm setting a new goal for myself. Lord, let me not focus on the frailties of those around me but to strive to see them as God sees them ~ loaded with potential! Let me encourage you first, to commit yourself to the Christ who loves you. Then, if you are a Christ-follower, desire to see others as Christ sees them; loaded with potential for greatness!

I Need Easter This Year!

The beginning of this blog could be seen as morbid. I will apologize up front for that, but I promise if you'll read the entire blog, you will see there is more to the story. In fact, FAR MORE to the story!

A few weeks ago, I was told of a young 16 year old high school student in a neighboring town who decided to skip school. Later that day, he was involved in a auto accident. He did not survive. He was thrust into eternity far too soon by our human, fleshly time table.

Right on the heels of that, a friend of mine from my college days, only a year older than I, went to sleep in his own bed. The next face he saw was that of Jesus! A massive heart attack to this young man who was involved in mountain biking came as a shock to all who knew him. This was an incredibly bittersweet occasion. Paul, writing in the New Testament put it somewhat in perspective. He said to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ. We who are left behind are the ones suffering from the painful separation caused by death.

Also, within the past few days (not weeks or months, mind you), I have had friends with relatives pass from this life. Some have been expected, some not quite. Some have known and trusted Christ as Savior, others have struggled with wondering if their loved ones had made that commitment to the One who died as a sacrifice for their sin.

Still, as I write this, another family of friends are struggling with a daughter / sister being placed in hospice care. They travel now to visit with her before she likely slips into a coma and passes from this life. There is much pain in that scenario.

I watched a little bit of the news earlier. Wars and fightings continue to abound. People around the world are feeling the effects of Libya, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The news continues with the quakes and tsunami in Japan. We turn to our own Nation and are confronted with economic struggles amid other problems.

It was likely a similar scenario that Bill and Gloria Gaither found themselves in early in their young family's life. It was the late 60s, the United States was in turmoil over racial tensions, the conflicts in Viet Nam, and more. This young, midwestern family of four learned that another baby was on the way.

Why would anyone want to bring more children into this world? They fought with their emotions and as Spring drew closer, had a head knowledge that life should get better. Perhaps it was merely the dreary winter that had brought about the emotional struggles.

It took a little blade of grass that had fought its way through the asphalt parking lot, stretching itself toward the heavens to help the Gaithers break free. Just as that grass had defeated all odds, persevering to the light above, the Gaithers knew that they, too, could defeat the odds.

They realized a very important factor, though. They knew they could not defeat anything alone. They recognized that the only way their loneliness and struggles could be defeated would be because Jesus had risen from the dead. It was the beginning of that now classic song, Because He Lives! Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He Lives, all fear is gone! Because I Know, He holds the future, and life is worth living Because He Lives!

Reflecting on the world's events, the pain of death, and the seemingly hopeless state of affairs, it would be easy to become discouraged. This is one year, I need Easter. I need the refreshing reminder that although Jesus died, He has now risen! He has risen, indeed!

Jesus' followers likely felt somewhat as we do today. Their lives had been turned upside down in a matter of days. The One they had trusted with their very lives was now dead. They feared for their own lives. But with that first Easter morning, everything changed! Perhaps you need a good dose of encouragement. Perhaps you need Easter this year to remind you of the victory that belongs to the Christian. Our hope is not found in job security or retirement funds. Our hope is not even found in our family or the church. Our hope must be founded in none other than Jesus Christ. He is Risen!

Now, perhaps you've read all the way through this and realize you have not come to terms with your own relationship with Jesus. Your hope has been in things other than the truth of the Christ. Feel free to e-mail me and let's discuss further the opportunity of discovering real, true hope. I need this Easter! Do you?

Do You Remember Being Two?

I recently heard a new song. It wasn't just any ordinary song, either. I'm not sure if it has ever been recorded or even written on staff paper or a lead sheet. The song, by and large, is just a cute comedy song ~ that's exactly what it is intended to be. It's author performed it live in my presence, and I laughed. I genuinely laughed.

Beyond the laughter though, I began to think and assess its words. Leave it to a preacher to do that, right? The song simply answered questions about our younger years. Much younger. What's the title of this song? (Thought you'd never ask!) It's Just What You Do When You're Two. What did you think about when you were two? What was your logic at the ripe old age of two? We've heard of those Terrible Two's; the author mentioned an interesting thought as he prepared to entertain us. For those new parents who have yet to experience a three year old child, this is what you have to look forward to: A three year old is merely a two year old with experience! Doesn't that sound encouraging?

Josh Taylor, the author of the song, wrote this about his experiences as a dad of a two year old. Incidentally, the lad is a cute three year old now. He was able to capture and put to music some questions all parents ask themselves from time to time. Incidentally, after you read my blog, feel free to click on the link and visit his site. He's pretty insightful, and insanely funny. Being around him for a few hours, I'm pretty sure he has a serious side to him that could help a person understand the importance of living a solid Christian life. He is indeed an impressive young man.

Now, back to the assessment; the Apostle Paul, in the New Testament, wrote that when we are young, we act young. Sounds profound, eh? Seriously, when we were a child, we spoke as a child, we acted as a child, etc. But when we became a man (or woman, as the case may be), we put away the childish things. Later in the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews (we really don't know for sure who that is) compares a young Christian to a little baby. He says that as young Christians desire the pure milk of the Word, when we grow, we should desire the meat of the Word. We should be constantly growing. We should not be satisfied with the status quo. We should not want to stay merely a child in our faith.

For the more seasoned believer, take some time to think back to your early Christian life. What are some ways you have grown in your faith? For the new believer, stay in the milk and continue to grow daily. For the unbeliever who may be reading this, are you skeptical of all this Christianity stuff? Are you just not sure it is for you? Let me hear from you. I would love to exchange communication with you about where you stand in a relationship with Christ.

A Sea, A Storm, and a Savior

The church I attend is having revival services this week. Doug Little (songwriter, preacher, friend) is the guest speaker. On Monday night, Doug shared with us from Matthew 14 ~ when Jesus walked on the water and encouraged Peter to do the same. We've heard many sermons from that text; many of them having to do with Peter being willing to get out of the boat. I've preached some like that myself.

But Doug caused me / us to think of a totally different perspective. Jesus had just finished feeding the 5,000 and he sent his disciples out in the boat to sea. Jesus went up on the mountain to a secluded spot to pray. A storm began to rage on the sea, to the point these professional fishermen were afraid. Yet Jesus was praying on the mountain. In all likelihood, Jesus saw exactly what the disciples encountered while they were in the boat. Do you think He might have been praying for them?

At just the right time, Jesus went to the disciples ~ walking on the water. He didn't go too soon because they might not have fully realized the complete need for Him. He didn't wait too late, or they might have perished in the sea. He was exactly on time! Are you trusting Him to deliver you from your struggles, at just the right time?

When the disciples saw Him, they initially thought He was a ghost. They were afraid of the storm, and as if that weren't enough, now they have a ghost walking toward them! He quickly calmed them with His words of comfort, "Peace to you!" Will you listen to the comforting words of Jesus to you today? He longs to help you overcome your fears.

As Jesus got on the boat, the storm ceased. The disciples recognized the fact that it was Jesus' presence that calmed their worst nightmare. Their response? They worshipped Him! Jesus is worthy of our worship. He is praying for us, protects us, and His presence calms the storms in our lives. Be encouraged by the work of God. Praise Him for His comfort today. Worship Him for His presence in your life.

If you have never experienced His peace in your life, I'd be happy to share with you through any means available how you, too, can know and experience Him.

How Well Do You Know God?

Among the passages of Scripture that ministers to me time and time again is Paul's letter to the Philippians. In the letter, he writes to them (3:10), of his desire to know God and the power of His resurrection.

Do you long to know God? Do you have a desire to fellowship with the Creator of the Universe? He encourages and invites us to do just that. To know God involves communication with Him. As we learn to commune with Him more and more, He reveals more of Himself to us. We can begin to understand Him better.

It has always been intriguing to me that people choose not to read the Bible because they do not understand it. Though it may sound contradictory to nature, the Bible is a book that becomes easier to understand the more we read. The more we invest in trying to understand, the more God will reveal Himself to us.

Knowing God is not an accident. Knowing God is a choice of commitment to Him. It is the concept of contentment in being able to trust Him with our lives. Knowing God is the courage of changing our minds to be more like His. Will you accept the challenge to chart the course of your life to know God in all His glory?