God of Courage by James Johnson

During the week of April 22-28, 2002 a group of fifteen teenagers and five adults went to New York City for a mission trip from our church. We were quite the crew, a mixture of different backgrounds, races, even faiths. Frankly, I was unsure as to how things would turn out. I feared that many were going for the excitement that New York has to offer rather than for the joy of serving God. Our accommodations weren't too bad, but located in a rundown, scary part of town. To be honest, I was quite nervous, not only for my own safety but for how the kids would react.

We had one sixteen-year old with no real church background, whom we'll call Preston. He started attending our church school second semester and seemed to be doing well, but was unsure of the "God stuff". I was anxious to see how he would handle sharing a Christ that he may know very little about. On Thursday, we were doing what was called "Radical Street Ministry," where kids were encouraged to start conversations with perfect strangers in New York. Personally, I thought it was crazy. After all, who's going to talk to you in New York? However, most of the kids did very well, and before the week ended, about 200 copies of Desire of Ages had been passed out.

Our young sixteen-year old was possibly the most enthusiastic of them all. He saw a homeless man that day and offered to give him a few dollars for food. The man refused and asked instead for something to eat.

Preston said to him, "I'll buy you dinner if you come and have a conversation with me."

For the next fifteen minutes, Preston and that man had a great conversation. Later, as Preston reflected on his experience and told me how much fun he had serving the Lord, I had the awesome privilege of seeing him give his heart to Christ for the first time in his life.

Apprehension is natural. Anytime we pushed out of our world of comfort into the world of ministry, nervousness will happen. Yet it is when we are out of our element that we are forced to encounter a real God. As the children of Israel moved into the promised land (and out of their wilderness "comfort zone"), Moses said to Joshua, his successor, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their father to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

It took a young, unchurched sixteen-year old for me to encounter the God of courage that week. I was truly humbled to witness this young man's willingness to serve a God he had only begun to know. It leads me now to step back and evaluate where I need more courage in my life. It makes me wonder how much I really believe that God would give such courage to me. The prayer for myself and for those who read these lines is that we would together encounter that God who is never far away--the God of Courage.

ENCOUNTER: What would it look like for you to move out of your "comfort zone?" What kind of courage would be required? How would you obtain it?

Be Present: In the Now

Forever – is composed of Nows –

‘Tis not a different time –

Except for Infiniteness –

And Latitude of Home –

From this – experienced Here –

Remove the Dates – to These –

Let Months dissolve in further Months –

And Years – exhale in Years –

Without Debate – or Pause –

Or Celebrated Days –

No different Our Years would be

From Anno Dominies –

– Emily Dickinson

The Kingdom of GOD fills this moment. 

For the GODfollower who believes in the awesome authority of Christ Jesus, eternity is not off in the distance, to be experienced someday in heaven with harps and halos and fluffy white clouds.  Forever includes this day, this “now.” And no moment in the Kingdom of GOD is to be squandered.

In critique of Dickinson’s prose, Gudrun M. Grabher offers, “Evasive and intangible as the concept may be, time is considered to be one of the most precious and valuable aspects of our life. . . In terms of its preciousness, and even reality. . . time is most real and most valuable as the present. The present moment is what counts. . .”

Yet all too often, the moment slips away from us, as we are so easily distracted by demands on all sides.  Our lives can quickly blur in the rush of the urgent and the worries of the day.  The Kingdom of GOD can get lost in the checklist; It can be compromised by ambition, surrendered to selfish gratification.  The moment can inadvertently evaporate with the heat of life lived frantically.  In the midst of your frenetic life, GOD beckons:

Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
      He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
   Bans war from pole to pole,
      breaks all the weapons across his knee.
   Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
      loving look at me, your High God,
      above politics, above everything. --Psalm 46:8-10 [Message]

Being present affords us a long loving look at Christ Jesus.  He adores you.  Although the entire universe is under His care, the details of your life are not trivial to Him.  It is in those very details that His Kingdom is often revealed.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. –Matthew 6:30-34 [Message]

GOD’s invitation to “be present,” is an offer for us to simply relax.   

He’s in control.   

He’s got it covered.   

He’s got your back.   

Check your worries at the door, and enter into a “now” with GOD steeped in the realness of His peace, presence, and provision.  Be present.

May the Kingdom of GOD be at hand, right here, right now, in you.

Encounter Prayer:

Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[a] O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,
    blessed are those who trust in you.  Amen.  –Psalm 84:8-12 [TNIV]

Encounter:

• What might you do to "be present where you are?"
• How will you value today, recognizing it is part of your eternity?
• Who might you invite to spend some time with you on a get-away with GOD?

Be Present: Instant Replay

“Why not just live in the moment, especially if it has a good beat?” –Goldie Hawn

Although I’ll be the first to admit an almost blind approval for anything technology-driven, let me declare my love/hate relationship with instant replay in sports.  If there can be such a thing as road rage, I believe I may be a replay rage-aholic.

It’s bad enough that the NFL referees have a penalty flag they can throw any time to stop the momentum of the game, but now coaches have a “challenge” flag tucked in their sock or back pocket!?!  And then, of course there is the booth referees tucked away in some media man cave somewhere, looking at high definition renditions of what just happened over and over and over again from every angle?  So the game comes to a screeching halt, and we’re stuck like commuter traffic purgatory, as the referee dons a black hood to repeated review the penalty?  Oh the humanity! 

Okay I’m done venting.  But seriously?  Now instant replay is creeping into the NBA. . . What’s next?  Life instant replay?  Okay, I’m done venting now.  Really.

Yet televised sports isn’t the only place where “instant replay” is plaguing our world, there are places far more important where it’s taking a more discouraging toll.

Should ha’

Could ha’

Would ha’

As a student looking at test scores, “I should have studied instead of goofing off...”

As a spouse early in marriage, “I could have been more understanding and less stubborn...”

As a parent regretting angry words, “If only I would have taken a moment to listen to her side of the story…”

Don’t get me wrong, there is great benefit to gaining wisdom through our past mistakes.  And certainly our past can serve as a reference point for better choices in the future.

But what’s often a stumbling point is the debilitating mental instant replay of life’s fumbles, mistakes, intentional fouls, and unsportsman-like conduct—The instant replay of our sins.  While there is virtue in remorse and the turn of a repentant heart—repeated replay of our failures and faux pas is destructive, and one of the devil’s tools to stop GOD’s momentum in your life.

Thank GOD for the forgiveness and freedom offered in our Savior, Christ Jesus!

“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.” –2Corinthians 5:17-18 [Message]

Christ Jesus takes the replay remote away from Satan, and offers us the opportunity to live life freely.  Our past sins are erased, and we are invited to experience the new day, fully present.

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” –Henry David Thoreau

May you spend this moment fully living, free from the torment of replaying past sins.  May this new day in Christ be filled with all the possibilities and freedom that His forgiveness affords.  Today may you truly live to the full.

Encounter Prayer:

Lord, who is a God like you?
    You forgive sin.
You forgive your people
    when they do what is wrong.
You don’t stay angry forever.
    Instead, you take delight in showing
    your faithful love to them.
Once again you will show loving concern for us.
    You will completely wipe out
    the evil things we’ve done.
You will throw all of our sins
    into the bottom of the sea. –Micah 7:18-19 [NIrV]

Encounter:

• What parts of your past haunt you?
• Who might you need to make amends with and reconcile?
• How are you going to live this day freely and fully in Christ Jesus? 

 

Be Present: Goal by Robert Dickerson

Encounter the Word:

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it. –Philippians 3:12-16 [Message]

None of us are perfect. We all have our flaws, even while focused on GOD, buttons that can be pressed that eventually cause us to lose focus. Paul, a great leader and devoted follower of Christ, recognized that even he still had room to grow in Christ. He knew that he wasn't perfect and when people tried to make him their source of strength he always pointed back towards GOD.

GOD’s working on you, cleaning out all the dead weight holding you down, and He's fitting you with the lightness of His love and grace. This takes time and patience on our part because for most of us it isn't a snap of the fingers and we're pure. But GOD sees your desire to improve your life, to shed the stuff that has been holding you back, and He is constantly at work on your heart, opening your eyes to the areas you need growth. He works at a pace we can keep up with and by staying focused on Him, we will receive the ultimate transformation.

Each year on New Years Day we're supposed to evaluate the previous year and set new goals, goals that are supposed to last more than a couple of weeks, but most don't hold to those goals because it requires effort, sacrifice, and change. Being a follower of Christ requires goals and those goals need to be evaluated more than once a year, more than once a month, but every day. Being a follower of Jesus isn't for the lazy. It's not a choice you make once and you're instantly an exceptional spiritual athlete, but it's a constant daily decision to stay focused on Him.

"Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites." –Philippians 3:17-19 [Message]

It's so easy to get distracted by any number of things, but by staying focused on GOD we won't get caught up with those who are diverging in their course. Christianity isn't about being focused on your pastor, the coworker who brought you to church, or the fellow student who shared GOD's love with you. It's completely about Christ and His love He offers and freely gives to those who answer His calling. It's about living in the moment, here and now, and trusting that He'll take care of you in the future. GOD knows what's best for you and the proper time for things to happen. He'll see you through the obstacles of life and when you reach the end, He will welcome you with open arms and a smile of pure love and joy.

Encounter Prayer:

Press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. . . For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.  Amen. –Philippians 3:14, 20-21

Encounter:

• What goals have you set for your relationship with Christ?  What is distracting you from your focus?
• How are the people around you helping or hindering your progress?  Who are you comparing yourself to?
• What obstacles are you meeting up with today?  How might you surrender these challenges over to Christ Jesus?  Will you let Him transform you?  Today?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson of Younger Generation Church.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Be Present: Past is Past by Robert Dickerson

Encounter the Word:

The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.

I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.  –Philippians 3:7-11 [Message]

Your past is the past, set in stone, unchangeable. It doesn't matter if you used to keep the letter of the law or if you were a menace to society, you are now a servant of GOD—He lives within your heart and all the beauty that He brings He gives freely to you. Love, compassion, and grace He pours over you, changing you into His image, molding you into the person you were intended to be.

Stop pointing to your past, for you are pointing in the wrong direction. If you are pointing to previous actions to define yourself your arm is pointing away from GOD and what He's accomplished in your life. GOD and only GOD, is the only source that defines our lives for without Him, what kind of rubbish have you created that compares to Him?

Watch out for fellow believers that point to their past. One's past doesn't define who they are because we all started off as sinners. One's status in life isn't defined by being born into wealth or how large your family is. Recognize these people so that you are not misled. GOD’s Spirit doesn't boast about past accomplishments, but gives the blessing of joy in knowing that GOD has seen your choices to work for His glory. Your reward is being prepared in Heaven and if you try and take it early here on Earth, you are stealing it from Heaven. Personally, I'd rather reap my reward for eternity than the brief blink of an eye here on Earth.

Encounter Prayer:

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it… We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him. Amen –Philippians 3:15-16,20-21 [Message]

Encounter:

• What accomplishments are you most proud of?
• When you list what you have done in a resume or vitae, who are you seeking to impress? How?
• What role do you believe your past will play in your salvation?
• How might you see and share your life so as to give glory to GOD for what He has done?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson of Younger Generation Church.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Be Present: DWELL

Encounter the Word:

For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  –Psalm 84:10 [ESV]

We get to choose where we spend our days.

Some of us DWELL on Yesterday.  We get hung up with regrets, and wishes that things had been different.  We remember hurts, and heartache.  We hang on to hatred and harbor resentment that all that could have, should have, would have been didn't turn out right.  We feel guilt, and shame, and unworthy, because our past record declares us guilty.

If we are not careful, we can be imprisoned by the past.  We feel coerced to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

But GOD had other plans, and through his Son, GOD gives us another place to dwell.

“So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty.” –Romans 8:1 [ERV]

“So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.” –John 8:36 [Message]

GOD claims us as His own, forgives us, and offers us Himself as our refuge.

Yet there are others who DWELL on tomorrow.  We fret about the forecasts.  We are nervous as the newscasts are filled with naysayers calling for impending doom and despair.  We believe in murphy's law and predict things going wrong before anyone even has a chance to do anything at all.  We get frozen because of our fear of what's around the corner.
 

If we are not careful, we can be so anxious about the future, that it consumes us. We feel coerced to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

But GOD had other plans, and through his Son, GOD gives us another place to dwell.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. –Matthew 6:34 [Message]

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. –Philippians 4:6-7 [Message]

As opposed to squandering our days in the tents of wickedness, let us DWELL with the LORD.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent. –Psalm 91:9-10 [NIV]

Choose today to make GOD your refuge, the source of your strength.  Today, let GOD make His dwelling place your life.  Abide in Him, and let GOD abide in you, calling you His very own.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. –Revelation 21:3 [NIV]
 

Encounter Prayer:
May today be yet another day I fully experience life as you intended.  I choose right now to rely on You GOD, as my strength.  May if find refuge in You, my Savior and Friend. Amen.

Encounter:

• How have the tents of wickedness been working out for you?
• Where do you want to dwell?  What steps you taking to move in?
• What might you experience if you decide to spend time in GOD's courts?  What are the benefits of His being your refuge?

 

Be Present: In the Slammer by Robert Dickerson

Encounter the Word:

I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah. –Philippians 1:12-14 [Message]

Regardless of your situation, there's opportunity for growth and spreading the message of Christ. Circumstances change all the time around us:  You get a new job and you're introduced to many people; You get married and your family grows; You move to a new neighborhood and get to discover and build the community around you.

Life is always full of events that present opportunities to reach new people and to share GOD’s love. We try and envision down the road living in wonderful neighborhoods without crime, being married with a big family, being involved in church and sharing your gifts. We think, maybe then I'll be able to contribute to GOD’s Kingdom. The truth, though, is that right now you've got the same opportunities, chances to touch the life of someone around you and share the joy or praising GOD.

When in jail, Paul didn't go off to sit in the corner and say, well it's been a good run. Paul took the situation he was presented with and turned it around, preaching the Message to his fellow inmates and the guards that were holding him. Many of them became curious about Paul's teachings and discovered who GOD was. Some outside of jail were trying to take advantage of his absence by trying to grab the spotlight of teaching GOD’s Word, but the truth was, Paul didn't care because as they spoke, people were hearing the Truth and still accepting GOD into their lives. Even though they didn't have the best intentions, they were still getting positive results for GOD.

So regardless of your current situation, you have the choice to stand strong for GOD, to show that no matter how great or awful things may get, GOD is still first and present in your life. He hasn't left you or let you down, but is working on something greater in your life and in the life of someone else you'll cross paths with. So stay focused on Christ, here and now. Accept His Spirit in your life at this moment and be amazed at what GOD can accomplish through you, regardless of your status in this world.

Encounter Prayer:

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. Amen. –Philippians 1:9-11 [Message]

Encounter:

• Where are you in your life today that seems like a peculiar place to share your faith?
• What unique relationships has GOD fostered for you? What's keeping you from sharing Christ?
• How might you become more keenly aware of circumstances GOD's crafted for you to share Good News?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Be Present: Salvation Is Here

This summer, by GOD's designed coincidence, we had the opportunity to attend Switchfoot's Bro-Am in Southern California.  Hearing many of the songs that have been on my play list for nearly a decade and a half had me feeling reminiscent. Mid June on Moonlight Beach, the taste of salt in the air blended well with the electric hum of guitars full tilt.  We enjoyed Jon and his band expressing their music in their natural habitat, but the day was filled with more than songs and sand and sea.  I was struck by the poignancy of the lyrics. Although many of the ballads had become so familiar, fare for radio sing-along commuting--the gravity of grace, embedded in the words, anchored my heart.

As I've spent these past several months reflecting on the theme, "Be Present," it's been wonderful to explore GOD's Word and enjoy the many places He's creatively revealed facets of the theme to our team.  A Switchfoot album that could very well have been written expressly for this GODencounters experience would be "The Beautiful Let Down."  Of the many powerful tracks, "Dare You To Move" speaks to the tension between motion and stillness that I sense GOD calling us to as He asks us to "Be Present."

So without too much theological adulteration of this classic anthem, enjoy and linger on these lyrics:

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

[Chorus]
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

[Chorus]

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before 

Encounter the Word:

"But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today." –Matthew 6:33-34 [CEV] 

Encounter:

• What will make today different?
• How might your live today in such a way to express the significance of your faith?
• Who is the GOD calling you to be? Today? Right now? 

Be Present: Rejoice by Robert Dickerson

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless. --Scott Hamilton

Rejoice in all things, big and small, good times and times when circumstances don't go as planned. Rejoice when your efforts pay off and rejoice when unexpected blessings come into the life of others. You're part of a much bigger plan in action, we don't always get to see what's coming up, but in everything we need to remember that GOD’s working behind the scenes and so in every event that happens to us, our family, friends, or fellow believers is an opportunity to shower GOD with praises.  He is in our midst . . . always.

Encounter the Word:

What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.  –Philippians 2:12-16 [Message]

Paul, locked up in prison, didn't know if he would survive and be released. He took the opportunity presented him and preached GOD’s message to everyone in the prison he could and praised GOD for the chance presented him. If those had been his last days, he chose to praise GOD because he knew the gospel he'd spread had reached the right people who would continue GOD’s work. If he were to be released, he knew that there were going to be more chances in his future to share GOD’s grace with more people who desperately needed it.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.  --Psalm 46:10-11 [NIV]

It's easy to try and stay focused on the big things, but by doing so we miss so many little things around us that GOD has had His hand in. So many lives that have been touched and all of the possibilities presented to us. Find a still and quiet moment and look back on the last week or last few days. It could be as simple as turning off the radio on the way to work and just listening to GOD as He shows you how He was involved in your life or the life of someone else. Remember to praise GOD for everything in your life because each event, each person you've come across, each story you've heard is an opportunity for growth in Christ.

Encounter Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to -- Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject whatever is harmful.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Amen. –1Thessalonians 5:16-24 [TNIV]

Encounter:

• What do I need to turn off today, so I can listen more intently to GOD?
• What are five things I can praise GOD for this week?
• Who in my life can I offer encouragement to someone to persevere?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Be Present: Plan for The Day by Robert Dickerson

Encounter the Word:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11 [NIV]

All glory and praise be to the GOD in heaven who sent His Son down to earth to show us the perfect example of how to live our lives, Who took on all of the mistakes and misdeeds of the world, and paid the penalty. He was raised up and now lives in the heart of heaven, controlling all aspects of the universe around us.

GOD has had a plan since long, long ago, which He has provided for all of your needs, foreseeing every challenge that you'll face and providing a path through them. Can you image all of the intricate details He's worked out so that all of the chaos of this world will eventually come together to exalt His character and culminate in His glorious return?

Jesus is doing great things among His people. Those that stay focused on Him are touching the lives around them, sharing His message of love and grace. As we begin a new day, make sure to start off on the right foot, praising GOD for putting you into His great plan of redemption for the people of earth. He knows the mistakes you've left open from yesterday. He sees the broken relationships that linger on, but for all of this, He's worked it out if we'll just listen to His voice.

“All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.” –Ephesians 1:20-23 [Message]

You are part of the larger body of Christ. Depend on Him and His followers and praise Him in advance for placing the people and resources you'll need for the challenges of this day in your life already.

Encounter Prayer:

Thank you Jesus for looking out for me, in this vast and endless universe you still take the thought and energy to plan an individual route for me that leads to Your glory. Thank you for planning paths for my family and friends that leads to Your redeeming grace. Thank you for actively pursuing us since the day we were born. We live for You. We choose to follow You. May we share the many blessings you've freely shared with someone else, to show them who You are and how they can be saved from their troubles. Blessed be Your name Lord. Blessed be Your name in all the earth.  Amen.

Encounter:

• What plans have I laid out for today?
• What plans has GOD laid out for me for today?
• In the context of Ephesians 1, where can I draw my confidence from as I enter this day?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Be Present: Today

"What day is it?"
"It's today," squeaked Piglet.
"My favorite day," said Pooh.  –A. A. Milne

When our daughter was still very young, she loved Winnie the Pooh.  Her childhood days were filled with wonder and play.  Every person had the potential of being a new friend, and if they were just her size, she was eager to see if they wanted to be playmates.  Playing house only required imagination and a willingness on my part to sit on a miniature chair as she prepared plastic vegetables for dinner.

Over the years, I’ve grown fond of looking for stuffed toy “Winnie the Poohs” for her as I travel and minister—Partly because the Dad DNA in me is inclined to spoil her, and partly because it reminds me of the days when Pooh was as real as neighbors, summers seemed to linger forever, and school was some day when she “grew up.”

Those “todays” seem long ago.

Today, our schedule is packed full of demands and deadlines.  Between my church commitments, my wife’s 12-hour shifts at the NICU, and our daughter’s academic responsibilities, sports rehab, and extracurricular activities, it sometimes feels like today’s a too-small-carry-on-packed-too-full-to-fit in the overhead compartment.

My iPhone, and iCal, and MacBook Pro aren’t synced well enough for me to optimally track my appointments, my wife’s work schedule, and the various activities at the academy for my daughter. I sometimes feel like today gets lost in the scramble to go from one critical commitment to the next.

I miss the “today” of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

Not that I want to go back in time, but rather, that I can all too easily let “today” become a tool instead of a treasure.  Today can be made to take a toll instead of offer a twinkle.  If I’m not careful, today disappears in the deluge of the urgent—Too often, as of late, I’ve made today drudgery.

“This day belongs to the Lord!
    Let’s celebrate
    and be glad today.” –Psalm 118:24 [CEV]

In some ways, “today” is like the stuffed animal presents I would get my little girl during my travels.  Today is a gift.  Undeserved, unassuming, yet full of joy, and love, and imagination.  There are smiles to be had, moment’s brimming with gladness and celebration.  Today is stuffed with enough goodness to make it my favorite day.  Today can be like Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

However in order to receive the present of today, I need to be present. . . today.

Encounter Prayer:

21 I praise the Lord
    for answering my prayers
    and saving me.
22 The stone that the builders
    tossed aside
    has now become
    the most important stone.

23 The Lord has done this,
    and it is amazing to us.
24 This day belongs to the Lord!
    Let’s celebrate
    and be glad today.
25 We’ll ask the Lord to save us!
    We’ll sincerely ask the Lord
    to let us win. Amen.

--Psalm 118:21-25 [CEV]

Much like my daughter's earliest years, today, GOD is calling you into a childlike faith, permitting you to see this day with the imagination of GOD-sized possibilities.  Our heavenly Father is always thinking of you, eager to give you gifts for no good reason.  His blessings happen in the unexpected moments of this day simply for the sake of His delight in you.  

But so unlike my earliest daddy years, GOD, your heavenly Father, is giving you so much more than an airport gift shop stuffed animal.  GOD is giving you the cornerstone of the world, Christ Jesus--He's giving you His favorite Son today, His favorite day.

May today be a gift to you from GOD, filled with all the wonder, celebration, and joy He intends.

Encounter the Word:

For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness. –Psalm 84:10 [ESV]

Encounter:

• If you were to cultivate a childlike faith, what might you see today as a gift from GOD?
• Who might you share your "gifts" with today?
• How might you shape your days to start seeing each one as a gift?  What role might Christ Jesus play in the new shape of your day, today?

Be Present: Omnipresence

"The question is not whether the things that happen to you are chance things or God's things because, of course, they are both at once. There is no chance thing through which God cannot speak—even the walk from the house to the garage that you have walked ten thousand times before, even the moments when you cannot believe there is a God who speaks at all. . . He speaks, I believe, and the words he speaks are incarnate in the flesh and blood of our selves and our own footsore and sacred journeys. We cannot live our lives constantly looking back, listening back, lest we be turned to pillars of longing and regret, but to live without listening at all is to live deaf to the fullness of the music.” —Frederick Buechner, The Sacred Journey

Recently a good friend and mentor shared this Buechner quote with me, and its profound insight has haunted me over these past several months.  It reminds me of the peculiar nature of GOD’s omnipresence, being in all places and spaces of life.  My heart likes to think of GOD being infinite and universal, present in the spinning of galaxies while caring for starving third world countries.

I rarely think of GOD being present with me as I yawn through a committee meeting or as I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

I love to think of GOD dramatically present in protecting our service men and women, present in healing terminally-ill children, present in rescuing disaster survivors.  I rarely think of Him cringingly present when I laugh at an off-color joke or helpfully there when I forgot the keys to the house.  I envision GOD’s presence in the miraculous, and often don’t notice Him in the mundane.

In Matthew 6:26 [NKJV], Jesus shares, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

I am valuable to GOD.  It astounds me that GOD loves so deeply as to be present for the little details of my life.  My journey need not be spectacular or exceptional for Him to take note—everything about me matters to Him.

But there is also a dark side to becoming aware of such holy omnipresence.  Recognizing that GOD is present in all my life, including my sordid past, can leave room for shame and regret to erode my soul.  My history is filled with lessons learned “the hard way” and missed opportunities—it’s easy enough to look back at my life and become a “pillar of longing and regret.”

Not giving in to the dark side of my past, the reality of GOD’s omnipresence has its best frame based less on my history and more on HIS story.  There is a balanced benefit in remembering the past, only to the degree we are reminded of GOD’s greatness and gracefulness.  The journey affords us stories of GOD’s pursuit, GOD’s guidance, and His rescue.  The landmarks of our past need only be a reminder of how awesome it is to arrive at home with GOD.

Birds find nooks and crannies in your house, 

   sparrows and swallows make nests there. 

They lay their eggs and raise their young, 

   singing their songs in the place where we worship. 

God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God! 

   How blessed they are to live and sing there!   

–Psalm 84:3-4 [Message]

As we remember our journey, may we see GOD’s watchcare in the midst of the miraculous and mundane.  May His presence in every step of life build our confidence in His steadfast love, so that all that is remembered of the past milestones is GOD’s faithfulness to carry us through. 

"Sometimes we avoid listening for fear of what we may hear, sometimes for fear that we may hear nothing at all but the empty rattle of our own feet on the pavement. But be not affeard, says Caliban, nor is he the only one to say it. "Be not afraid," says another, "for lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." He says he is with us on our journeys. He says he has been with us since each of our journeys began. Listen for him. Listen to the sweet and bitter airs of your present and your past for the sound of him." —Frederick Buechner, The Sacred Journey

Encounter the Word:

"What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries." --Luke 12:6-7 [Message]

Encounter:

• With GOD is there such a thing as "coincidence?"  Explain.
• In what ordinary aspects of today would it be helpful to be aware of GOD's presence?  How will you increase your awareness of GOD in the midst of today's mundane details?
• Where in your past do you see GOD's presence?

Be Present: Deal With It

How much of your attention is present in this moment?

What energies are needed for right now and 

what is getting squandered thinking about "what if" scenarios?

Today is what you've got. Deal with it.

Be Present: Gourmet Feast by Robert Dickerson

Encounter the Word:

Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong. –Romans 14:22-23 [Message]

You're a unique person among the billions alive today. You were brought up different, your personality is individual to you, and your likes and desires set you apart from everybody else. GOD himself called you out, but He did so in a way that connected to you where you were at in life. You may have been brought up in the church and He connected through the knowledge you have gained. You may have only heard of church through comedy club routines, never taking it seriously, and yet GOD was able to form a bond with you.

So whose way of worship and approach to life is correct? The answer is, the way that brings you closer to GOD. For some that may be through quiet, reverent worship while others praise with joyful song. What you eat, how you dress, how you treat the days of the week are all going to be unique to you and who’s to say that you're wrong? Only GOD has that power because He's the only judge we should be concerned with.

One of the worst things for the church would be to indulge in self-destructive, bickering about how you live your life, what foods you should eat, how you should dress, what music is appropriate. If you stand between a fellow believer and GOD and start condemning someone about their way of life, you're going to receive a tap on your shoulder from GOD Himself and there's no way you're going to be able to look into His eyes and feel joy, for you've not only lost sight of GOD’s love, but you've also brought a fellow believer down with you.

We've all been called to GOD’s table to feast on His word. GOD has prepared meals specifically for you, separate from everyone else at the table to feed your soul. His way for you may not apply to the person sitting next to you, and that's ok. What matters is that through love we all support one another and through GOD’s love we accept His preparations for us completely. Feast on what GOD has prepared for you and praise Him for knowing exactly what you needed.

Encounter Prayer:

O Lord God of all, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Jacob. Look upon our safe-covering, O God. And look upon the face of Your chosen one. For a day in Your house is better than a thousand outside. I would rather be the one who opens the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of the sinful. For the Lord God is a sun and a safe-covering. The Lord gives favor and honor. He holds back nothing good from those who walk in the way that is right. O Lord of all, how happy is the man who trusts in You! Amen. –Psalm 84:8-12 [NLT] 

Encounter:

• Read chapter 14 of the book of Romans. What idea stood out as personally significant from the passage.
• What are some of the minors that you have been majoring.  In your life? In the lives of others?
• How might releasing to GOD all the judging impact you? What might happen if you discovered that it wasn't your job to condemn others?
• What steps will you take to enjoy GOD's word, exclusively intended for your life?

Devotional by Robert Dickerson of Younger Generation Church. Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.