The Sovereign Lord is in Charge of Climate Change

Enjoy this guest post from Greg Miller and visit his website to let him know you saw him on Christian Daily Blog!

Blizzard 2010 was a small city in the Land of Virtual Winter, USA.

Many cities and towns in the Land of Virtual Winter had seen so much snow that even the residents who loved the white stuff were ready for a reprieve.

The Blizzard 2010 City Council, which met on the second Friday of each month, decided to consider an ordinance forbidding snow, freezing rain or sleet to fall inside the city limits for the remainder of the winter.

Councilman Snowz Grate was the first to speak in favor of the ordinance. “Fellow citizens, we’ve had entirely too much snow this winter,” he said. “I have so much snow at my house that the last bunch of snow flurries started talking among themselves. They were complaining that they were working much harder than this winter’s raindrops.”

“I have more than one hundred cattle on my farm, and they were mooing among themselves,” said Councilman Daree Farmur. “They said the amount of snow, combined with the extremely cold temperatures, was making their lives utterly unbearable.”

Councilman Snow E. Rhoads said the town had used nearly all of its winter salt supply. “So there will be no salt to take care of the streets during the additional accumulating snows that are heading in our direction,” he said.

Councilman Snowz Grate then asked if anyone from the community had additional comments.

SnowCreme D. Zert stood and walked to the podium in the center of the council chambers. “Members of the council, you will be making a huge mistake if you pass the proposed ordinance,” she said.

“It will be a mistake because even if the ordinance passes, the blizzards, blowing winds and arctic temperatures can still come into town. Wind, rain and snow are not subject to our laws.”

“They can’t be subject to our laws now because we have no laws governing bad weather and climate change,” stated Councilman Snowz Grate. “But after we pass the ordinance, they will be required to obey the law, and they must never again enter Blizzard 2010.

The Lord was observing the city council session from his throne, from where He controlled the rain and snow, hot and cold temperatures and whatever climate change He deemed necessary. “I’d like to make one thing perfectly clear!,” said the Sovereign Lord.

“The Blizzard 2010 City Council has no jurisdiction over the weather or the climate!,” exclaimed the Lord. “And I’m the only weather forecaster with a 100 percent accuracy rating.”

“Why are you always so accurate?,” asked Councilman Daree Farmur.

The Sovereign Lord replied, “Because not only do I predict the weather, I decide what it is going to be!”

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To contact Greg Miller for speaking engagements or puppet ministry, please email kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.

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God Does Know Best

I am human and admit I have gotten impatient with God. I have often made a request and wanted an answer right then and there!

I believe God sometimes answers our prayers with “Wait” or “Not yet” and I can interpret that as Him being silent… Being that He has a complete view of my past, present, and future, He knows exactly how each and every choice or action I make will affect me and impact those around me.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8, NIV)

He hears my prayers and wants to give blessings and show His wonders, yet He knows that what I think would good for me now could really demolish my life tomorrow or a year from now. He doesn’t want to bring anything into my life that would wreak havoc or produce turmoil, and therefore says “wait” or “not yet” for my benefit.

"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)

It would be easy for me to take matters into my own hands and try to make something happen on my own after God says to wait. If I do though, I’m headed for disaster. I must trust His judgment. How can I think I know more than God?

Guest post by Heather Phillips, wife, mother of four, and along with her husband, the owner of Lenoir City Computers in Lenoir City, Tennessee. Feel free to share your thoughts...

Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace!

NOTE: Enjoy this guest post from my husband and fellow Pastor, Greg Bishop.

It seems there is little peace in the world today. We look at what's going on all over the globe and it's no wonder we're agitated and upset so much of the time.

There are so many scriptures in God's Word that tell us not to worry and not to let our hearts be troubled. Yes, we can be concerned about the things around us, but we are not supposed to let them get the best of us.

The scripture I use and have used for many years is Philippians 4:8:

Finally brethren, whatever things 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. (NKJV)

May the God of all comfort give you peace.

Seriously, Christians... "Let not your heart be troubled."

Jesus Said...

NOTE: Enjoy this guest post from my husband and fellow Pastor, Greg Bishop.

And Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that... are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

How many times have we complained about our load being too heavy? I know I have many times. It’s the natural thing to do. It’s the human thing to do.

1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all our cares upon Him for He cares for us. This seems like more than natural, and more than human, this seems like it would be Supernatural! And it is.

Jesus knows our weaknesses, He knows our limits, and He knows our needs. Most of the time we, in our humanness, think we have to solve our problems all by ourselves, but it just doesn’t work that way. As Christians, we just need to get out of the way and let the Lord work. We need to give Him our burdens, our cares, our worries, our fears... and trust Him to take care of them.

Is it easy? By no means! But it's crucial to a right relationship with Him.

Beating the Indecision Blues

Indecision. It's a paralyzing malady. In the middle of a "What do I do?" attack, we often do nothing. Sometimes that works best because we simply need to "be still and know that He is God." (Psalm 46:10) Too often, however, indecision cripples the progress we could make by choosing a path.

As pastors, Greg and I are often faced with important decisions that affect, not only our own lives, but others' lives as well. There are times when the "demon" of indecision rears its ugly head and hinders us from heeding that still small voice within. So, how do we combat the enemy?

First, we pray. We ask God to speak clearly to us and to help us hear His voice.

Next, we listen to our own feelings. I'm a firm believer in a "gut feeling" - that sense, or intuition, deep within us that tells us what's right or wrong. I believe that's the voice of God's Spirit directing and guiding us as He did Elijah in 1 Kings 19. We just need to listen.

We may also seek the advice of godly counselors. Proverbs 15:22 says "Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established." And in verse 11:14, "in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Seeking advice and wisdom from other Christians can be helpful when we need to make a decision. Sometimes God will reveal His will to us through the words of others. We just need to seek them out.

Whenever we're faced with indecision, the first rule is to remember that - ultimately - the decision is the Lord's. Our place is simply to discover His will on the matter, whatever the matter may be.

Unfortunately, that may take a time of waiting, praying, and seeking His face. But He has promised He will answer. When we trust in Him, His word promises that "If any of [us] lack wisdom... it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

What a blessing to know an all-knowing God has the answer we need for every indecision we face in life!

Letting People Be People

NOTE: Enjoy this guest post by Rev. Neal Stover, Pastor of South Haven Church of the Nazarene, my "Spiritual Father" and friend.

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:11)

Greetings in the name of Jesus!

The more we trust God's perfection, the better we can deal with human imperfection.

There is no other healthy way to survive life in a broken world. Nothing short of divine love can equip us to love others as we should, for it is our security in God's perfect love that makes it safe to love those who are not perfect.

Without the God who ordained them, the laws of love would be difficult and dangerous indeed.

When our ultimate trust is in God, we're not as vulnerable to the disappointments that arise in our dealings with others.

We can be authentically patient and forbearing. We still deeply hurt when others fail us, to be sure, and it's not right to pretend otherwise.

But in our pain, we are able to view this reality from a much larger perspective. When our earthly "treasures" are threatened, we don't react as we would if these were our only treasures.

To the extent that we have confidence in God's power to accomplish His purposes in His own way, we'll not be driven by the urge to "control" what takes place around us and to keep certain things from happening.

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit" (Emmanuel).

When we have entrusted the fulfillment of our deepest needs to God, we won't look to other human beings to provide us with more than they can provide.

Our expectations of others will be more realistic when we see God as the only Source of what we most deeply need.

Secure in His love, we'll not place on anyone else the impossible burden of loving us perfectly.

It should also be said, however, that trust in God's perfection frees us to see our own limitations in a better way.

Pride is, after all, a very tiresome, unproductive thing, and the humble recognition that we are not God is not confining; it is empowering.

We'll do a better job of being human beings when we quit trying to do God's work and focus on the duties that are truly our own.

Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God.
...Carter Lindberg

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Pastor Neal Stover
http://www.southhavennazarene.org

The Cure for Fretting

Do not fret because of evildoers
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb. (Psalm 37:1-2, NKJV)

In this day of economic turmoil, bad news filling our airwaves, negative emotions abounding, fear prevailing... My spirit needed to hear this encouragement from the Word today! I have been fretting.

My sleep has been disturbed. I've been fighting depression - and losing. My mind has been filled with concern for our world and for my family as we face uncertain financial days ahead. But God has wonderful promises for us - as Greg reminded us yesterday!

Verses 3-9 of this same Psalm read:

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.

For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.

What a comfort to know that our God and Father will care for us, protect us, seek justice for us, provide for our future. And what a blessing to know that, while we watch people destroying our Christian way of life and destroying our Christian country, it's not going unnoticed by God. He sees what is happening and He will deal with the destroyers. We don't have to!

Life may feel out of control at times - I know my life certainly does! - but God is in control. And I trust Him to care for me. What a soothing balm that is to my soul.

By God's grace, as His psalm encourages, my way is committed to the Lord. I am feeding on His faithfulness. And trust He will enable me to rest and wait for Him knowing that He will bring forth my righteousness and justice. What a mighty, awesome God we serve!

Understanding God

A friend at church loaned me the book, 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. This book isn't turning out to be what I expected at all.

I had in mind this was a happy, cheerful book filled with images of Heaven and encouragement for getting there. I'm up to about page 100, and Boy, Was I Wrong! If you've read the book, maybe you'll understand my thoughts on this. But I've really struggled with the WHY of this book... as in why did God give this man a vision of the glories of Heaven and then allow Him to suffer excruciating pain as he did?

Okay, before you fuss at me, realize that I do trust God - no matter what! I know He is sovereign and I trust Him completely. I also believe that He has the right - as King and Creator of the entire Universe - to do what He chooses without regard to what we piddly humans think. But I also know Him to be love as the Bible tells us He is in 1 John 4:16. And I believe Him to be capable to change ANYTHING He chooses. So my question is why didn't He stop this man's suffering? Why, in fact, did He compel another Christian to pray for Don Piper and then resurrect him after he had been dead for 90 minutes, only to allow him to suffer tremendous pain? I have to wonder WHY.

Now as a pastor, you may think I need to keep my questions to myself. But I'm a firm believer that God knows my heart (He knows everything!) so even if I keep them to myself, He knows they're there. Why shouldn't I be honest and voice them as I search for answers? I believe I can. God's big enough to handle my questions. He knows my heart and attitude are respectful. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to understand.

It came to me as I was considering this issue that many non-Christians struggle with this same question. They don't understand God, they don't know Why He acts a certain way, so they dismiss Him and refuse to serve Him. As far as I'm concerned, there's no basis for that attitude.

I love my husband, but he does things I don't understand. Does that mean I shouldn't love him anymore? Of course not! Nor does that reasoning apply to my sisters or my son, or anyone else. In the words of Mr. Spock, "it's illogical."

So don't get me wrong! I may not understand God. I may question why He has acted a certain way. I may want to know Him better and feel it's a losing battle at times. But I Trust Him completely. And that's never going to change. Hopefully, when I finish the book I'll have a better understanding of Mr. Piper's situation. But even if I don't, I'll still trust my Lord. But that doesn't stop me from honestly wondering Why.