Help Me. I'Ve Fallen And Can't Get Up. 1/31/2015

Good Morning,

Saturday morning in this part of the world has arrived with the threat of a large snow storm for tonight. So as I sip on my cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee I am making mental notes in this vacant brain of mine. "Bring in the firewood this morning, gas up the snow blowers and wax the shovels" so I can be ready.

"Help me. I've fallen and can't get up" is a phrase that many of us have heard from our televisions as an advertisement for a safety device that people can wear and activate in an emergency, like a fall. Once activated the device calls for emergency responders to go and assist the person in need. This is nice for disabled or elderly people who live alone.

"I've fallen and can't get up" is a phrase that all too often we don't hear. This phrase out of pride is not said by the one who is depressed beyond belief and needs help. They are down and are going down further but are ashamed to say anything. These folks think that being depressed is being weak, and that they should be able to snap out of it. Yet through small signals theay are crying out for help. You won't see them as often. Their shades are pulled. They don't answer the phone. Many times drastic weight loss or gain can be noticed. Social media allows them to show little faces on their posts and if you look close their will be a frown or the words depressed, lonely, or confused.

Sometimes they tell you that they are angry with the world or just don't care anymore. All of these are sure signs that your friend or family member has fallen and is having trouble getting back up.

Hebrews 13:16     

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

         

Philippians 2:4        

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Yesterday I was informed that outside of the hospital where I work and am managing a construction project that a van was next to the waste dumpster had people working to take all the metal out of the dumpster to put in and on top of their van to salvage for scrap money.

Now this is a conflict for me. That metal is sharp and going into that dumpster is dangerous. If they would get hurt it could be a tragedy and we could be held responsible even though they should not be there. Yet I knew that they were trying to eat basically. I went and asked them what they were up to.
 This very young couple was ashamed and kind of afraid. They explained that they were both recently unemployed and that they had kids to feed and that this metal was just going to be tossed anyway. I explained our position and they understood. The apologized and started putting the metal back into the dumpster very neatly. I could see from their hands that they were not used to this type of labor. This was new to them. I could tell from the looks on their faces that they had reached the end of their ropes. I asked what they did for a living and when they told me, I knew of some positions that they could apply for. I gave them the contact numbers and my business card. I said that I could not promise a job but that there was a pretty good chance that these contacts would pan out positively for them. I told them to call me and send their resume for me to look over and help if I could. When they left there were waves of goodbye and smiles on their faces. I am meeting them later today for lunch and to look at their job portfolios. Some how groceries will be in my Jeep. Now this is not to be boasting about my actions. God let me stumble through an encounter. But I learned a lesson. Actions speak louder than words.

We are to do more than lip service when we see or hear of someone in need. Encouraging words are great, but a visit, a small job offered, some new clothes, a pot of soup, some time helping search for a job, some freshly cut flowers, all given are a sign that you care. It might just be the rope that pulls someone out of despair and gets them back on their feet.

God bless,
Marty

This Nimrod Is Still Going Strong 1/30/2015

Good Morning,

Happy Friday to all. Look out weekend here we come. My coffee this morning is Door County Pumpkin Spice. Let the day begin!

Our Dad is getting on up in years now. He does nap a little more than he did twenty years ago but he always answers the call to serve. He is proud of our country and when I read Ecclesiastes Chapter Three it reminds me of him. Dad lives in his home town where the high school mascot is named Nimrod after the hunter/warrior in the book of Genesis. He doesn't know the word retreat and quitting is not in his vocabulary. He goes to the basketball games and loves to talk about how the team did the night before when I call him. Recently he was called on again and answered the call. This time it was to speak and teach. My message to all of us getting on up in age is this. You have a life to share, experiences to talk about. Don't grow old and reside in the rocking chair just to mold away. Give it all you have right to the end. In our Bible passage today, you will find that there is a time for every purpose. Good words to live by. But it never says there is a time to stop living before you die.

Ecclesiastes 3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

 

There is a time to die physically for all of us. But we don't have to be dead on our feet while alive. Get out there and share yourself with others. Give back as much as you can.

Proud of you Dad!

 

God bless,

Marty

Faith, Hope And Love 1/29/2015

Good Morning,

As I head out of the door this morning with my cup loaded full of  Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee, my only thoughts are of returning home to my wife and dog later tonight. If that sounds selfish and weak, "Guilty As Charged"!

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

I like to read 1Corinthians 13 quite often. As I read the chapter I see the words "but do not have love" and it reminds me that it is not the desire to be loved that is penned, but the ability to express love to others that should be our desire. 
I like my job and everyone knows that I like to duck hunt. But it is walking through the door and being greeted by a wagging tail and a "Hey Hon welcome home, how was your day?'" that makes the drive home seem like 1000 miles.
I am like every other guy in the world. We find it hard to express ourselves in words to those who love us. I am lousy at doing that.

I do 99% of all the cooking in the family. When I see Rene cutting into a piece of meatloaf or lasagna and she looks across the table at me and smiles, I know she feels the love because those are her two favorite meals. When I am standing outside in a blizzard with the dog so he does not have to do his business alone, he knows that he is loved. It is important to verbalize our feelings of love toward others. People need to hear it. But we also need to show our love by making a sacrifice now and then and showing our love through actions. We need to remember that some people struggle with verbal expressions. That doesn't mean that you aren't loved.

So if you are living with someone who does not express their love verbally, watch to see what they do that says they love you. I recently was talking with a young man who said that "my dad never says he loves me". I know his dad personally and this guy is a manly man, quite macho and struggles with expressing himself in words. I asked this young man how much he liked the new fancy running shoes that he was wearing. He said "they are great". He also told me that the cost was $150 dollars for the pair and how his parents took him for the shoes on a snowy night. I reminded him that his mom was blessed to be home with the kids and did not have to work. I asked him how his job was going at the local ice cream emporium. "Oh I worked Friday night and we were so busy. I went home exhausted". I mentioned that his dad works long hours and works very hard. I said "and those shoes don't say I love you"?  I hunt with his dad now and then and I recall him saying that his waders leaked a little and that he was cold. I mentioned that it might be time for a new pair. "Not until next year. My boy is a runner and I want him to have great shoes."
 Loving others is truly doing things for the someone without expecting anything in return. If you are not feeling loved, well shake the sugar tree, not by whining but reaching out and expressing your love though words and actions. Do it without keeping a score or expecting anything in return. Love will find it's way back to you, maybe in a smile or a grin. But it's love.

God bless. You are all loved.
Marty

Removing Hell From The Bible 1/28/2015

Good Morning,

Deep thoughts today require a deep mug to hold my Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee.

C. S. Lewis once said, "There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this hell if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and especially, of our Lord's own words; it has always been held by Christendom, and has the support of reason."

Matthew 25:46        
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Many a preacher these days are avoiding the fire and brimstone message of heaven and hell. I think many churches would be surprised to hear a sermon on hell. But here's the truth. There is a heaven and hell. Heaven is for those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by faith. Hell is for those who have rejected the call of the Holy Spirit as He leads them to make a decision to follow Jesus.

I would gladly if it were in my power remove hell from being there. But God clearly desires for us to choose His Son and live with Him for eternity. Yet, He does not force that plan on us. He gives us a choice and loves us so much that no one goes without a home for eternity. Those not saved by the atoning gift of Jesus Christ have an eternal home in hell.

We can however remove the sting of hell from our lives by making a choice to receive Jesus and follow Him. I suggest that we do not remove the word hell from our vocabulary. People need to know that a life without Jesus is a life doomed to hell.

So talk it up! I can't imagine anyone wanting to turn down Jesus. So tell them the alternative, You just preached "Fire and Brimstone".

God bless,
Marty

I'll Be Wiser Tomorrow 1/27/2015

Good Morning,

My drink of choice today is Door County Cherry Crème Coffee. I haven't had this particular flavor dance on my taste buds for sometime now. I am overdue!

Romans 8:28    
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said "To confess that you were wrong yesterday is only to acknowledge that you are a little wiser today."

We all make mistakes. I know that I will probably make some today. But I want to take advantage of the mistakes and learn from them.

Yesterday I was working on some documentation for work. I was buzzing through the program and forgot to save my work as I went on the computer. Well I hit the wrong tab and instead of saving it all, all went goodbye. I had to start over on an hour long portion of work. You can bet that I learned my lesson on that one. I will save in smaller portions. Better to have lost just a little than all of my hard work.

Who doesn't make mistakes? But the greatest mistake is to let the mistake destroy you. If you don't learn from your mistakes there is no sense in making them. Learning from the mistake gives you a reason to pick yourself up and start over. Consider mistakes an opportunity to learn, not to be defeated. Ask God to show you how to do better. He loves to teach and can help us learn from our mistakes. We can all be wiser from our mistakes. I know my IQ will be higher tomorrow for sure. Use your mistakes to teach others and prevent them the anguish by learning from you.

Have a great day and wiser tomorrows.

God bless,
Marty

15 Important Words For Life. 1/26/2015

Good Morning,

Monday is here and for me it came too soon. I am looking into a hot cup of Door County German Chocolate cake Coffee. If I ignore the coffee will Monday go away? Just kidding. I really enjoyed my weekend and did not want to see it end.

There are words that when put into phrases will create an atmosphere of inclusion, being needed, praise, healing and appreciation. The Bible has much to say about using words of kindness at home, at church, at school, and at work

Proverbs 16:24        

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.    

Proverbs 15:1         

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.       

Ephesians 4:29        

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.             

1 Thessalonians 5:11    

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.    

Proverbs 25:11        

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Now here are the phrases to use. Try God's advice and see how much easier communication is with co-workers, spouses, classmates, and other Christians.

1. You did a good job.     5 powerful words.
2. What is your opinion? 4 important words.
3. Let's work together?    3 wise words
4. Thank you.                  2 words of life.
5. We                               1 necessary word.


Love to all.

Marty


 

Lord Of The Garbage Dump 1/25/2015

Good Morning,

It has been a busy morning in this house thus far. It is snowing a little and the wind is howling outside. Time for prayer and then..... One pot of potato soup is done, a pot of chili is simmering and a pork loin is marinating. All that before my hot cup of Door County White Christmas Coffee.
Our church service last night was finished off with many of us going out to eat at a local diner for fellowship, What fun!

Isaiah 64:6New International Version (NIV)

⁶ All of us have become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

From time to time I get asked to speak at different church events or men's outings. They must be scraping the bottom of the barrel when they get around to asking me.

What I am recalling is the first time that I was asked to speak about Jesus officially as a speaker . It was to be at in outdoor church service. I was in a small country that is very poor to say the least. I was to speak to people that were invited all week from mountain villages to attend and listen to a "word from God's man". I had just arrived the day before and was told I was speaking 5 hours before the event. Arrgh. I prayed and prayed and then prayed again. The Holy Spirit delivered an outline to speak from. What they did not tell me was that the only way the mayor of the village would allow a public gathering for Christianity was that it had to be held in the town's garbage dump. They kept referring to it as a park. When I got there and saw the dump where I was to speak I was speechless. They had a few light bulbs strung up with wire powered by a generator. There was a sound system that must have arrived to the island from a cruise ship that sunk. Rats were everywhere. My first speaking engagement! Where was the stadium? Where was the stage? Where was the basilica? Also where were the people? What an ego!

Of course you can see that I already had the wrong attitude and needed to be humbled. Reverend Billy Graham's job was still intact. But God was not done pulling me off of my man made throne. It started to drizzle with rain. I immediately went to a self serving pompous prayer. "Oh Lord I fear not the rain at all. If it is your desire let it rain buckets". I prayed this for all that were there (about 12) to hear. Ouch! It rained buckets immediately. I turned to the organizer of this grand event and said,  "well I guess we need to cancel". He replied "no, you just speak after we play some music". By this time the lightening had started to add to my fear of electrocution. That fear started when they handed me a microphone and I was standing under temporary lighting that was arcing overhead.

It was about that time when I knew I blew it. My excitement about wanting to speak for years had overcome waiting on God to ask me to speak, if at all. Now He was asking and it was not the scenario I had pictured in my mind. I prayed silently to be forgiven of my ego and unwillingness to wait on the Lord and just do what He asked whenever he asks. This was to be a mission trip of many firsts.

So the music started, my heart was fresh, my knees were trembling, the rats were staring at me and then I looked to the hills, The trails leading to the village were filled with people coming to the garbage dump to hear some music and hopefully a word from an over-rated egotistical foreign speaker.

Well I gave the message given to me through a translator in the rain. As I spoke I knew the Holy Spirit was taking control and I relaxed. God was in that garbage dump and used a garbage heap to speak.

We gave an invitation to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who came forward that night were too many to count. I had put myself on a pedestal and placed myself ahead of God. Our Lord reminded me that He is the vine and we are the branches and we do nothing outside of Him. My ego had taken me off of the vine. God showed me that He will gather people where He wants to, and He will only use someone who is humble enough to do what He is told. What a lesson I learned that night.

John 15:5New International Version (NIV)
⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

I often read this prayer to stay humble and remember the garbage dump and what God did that night.

Lord of the compost heap.
You take garbage and turn it into soil, soil good soil, for seeds to take root and grow with wildest increase, flowers to bloom with brilliant beauty.
Take all the garbage of my life Lord of the compost heap, turn it into soil, good soil and then plant seeds to bring forth fruit and beauty in profusion. Joseph Bayly

My self righteous acts of ego and ambitions were filthy rags until the Holy Spirit humbled the owner. Only God could have performed the miracle of the garbage dump though a goofy garbage heap speaker.

Friends, God can use all of us  and He really doesn't need us. We just have to let Him say who, when, where and how.  He chooses to allow us to work with Him and see Him at work. That lesson has proved to be the best one I ever learned.

Have a wonderful day. God bless,
Marty

Door County 1/24/2015

Good Morning,

It's Saturday and I have some errands to do today. I said to my Aunt yesterday that I was going to sleep in until 6:30 AM today. A special blessing has come my way to be able help a dear friend and pay back all the kindness he and his wife have given to us over the years. So it is time to get up and get going. My large mug is filled with Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee. My dog is plopped on topped of my feet. I have my own furry foot warmer. I am blessed.

 

 

Proverbs 5:18New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ May your fountain be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Someone who is a new reader to my daily thoughts asked why I write about my coffee every day. The Door County Coffee company is located in Door County Wisconsin. The area is a popular vacation and recreation spot in Northern Wisconsin. A place where you never feel like a stranger.

For many years my wife and I always said that we were going to go there, it just never seemed to happen.  To be honest misfortune brought us there. I became very ill about 5 years ago and it was something that only rest, medicine, time and God's blessing was going to cure.  Rene took control and said we needed to get away to some place that is near a medical center so  you can receive these daily treatments for the next few days, but also relax. We both work for a large Health Care Organization and between her and my slick doctor the arrangements were made so I could receive treatments in Door County at a one of our clinics. My cell phone was taken away, my lap top was left home, I was told that if I brought the blue prints that I was working on along with us, they would need to be surgically removed from an area of my body not worth mentioning.

From where we were staying I could smell delicious coffee being made in the area. I mentioned that I would like to stop into that shop and experience some tasty java. The little coffee factory serves breakfast also. We sat down to some baked oatmeal and toast. It was wonderful. I stopped for a moment to say thank you to my little health dictator but stalled for a moment. I noticed that my health issues had taken their toll on my wife. She was truly worried. She had aged a little in the last few weeks. I loved her always, but it was there that I fell in love with her again over a cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha. We had already been married for many years but I fell in love again with the wife of my youth. Each day my coffee reminds me of the blessing of having someone who loves me and how Door County gave me time to sit back and see how blessed I am.

Have a great day. Where is your Door County? Go there and spend time at a slower pace. Maybe your spouse has gone on to be with our Lord. Take time to recall a "coffee day". Many have never been blessed with a spouse. Make sure to know that you were specially blessed to have had coffee with someone.

Love to all.

Marty

 

Silent and Listen 1/23/2015

Good Morning,

I can hear the start of Saturday from where I sit on Friday. My mug is steaming with Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee. This has the start of being a nice day.

Two words share the same letters in the English alphabet. I am sure there are other words that share the same letters but these two not only share the same letters but you really can't perform one without doing the other. In order to Listen one has to be Silent.

When I duck hunt and it's still too dark outside to see the birds I can often hear their wings whistle as they fly over. If I am talking with my partner I might not hear them. The Bible has much to say about both.

Elijah went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him… a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:9, 12).

Being quiet and listening may be one of the most important actions a Christian can do in deepening their relationship with God. It is also a great way, especially for ministers and those embroiled in Christian service to receive direction straight from Heaven after reading God's Word and praying.

This takes some time each day but I for one can say that I usually walk away refreshed spiritually and physically.

Have a great Friday,

Marty

Help! I Lost My Bible 1/22/2015

Good Morning,

Wow! Last night was a challenge. This morning I have chosen to drink some comfort coffee. So I broke out the last of the Door County Maple.

Last night I was headed to meet with a friend who needed some guidance and encouragement. We agreed to meet at church. This was a good option for both of us. While on my way to the meeting I was petitioning God for help and wisdom as to what to say. Every time I began to pray something would interrupt me and I just could not concentrate. I saw my friend arrive and I decided not to go in at that moment. I waited and just practiced being still and listening. God led me in the direction He wanted me to go during this quiet time and I was at peace with His instructions.

I reached into the back seat where my Bible should have been from this morning. I read it in the morning and then at night. I take it with me for those "just in case times" when I might have time to read. It wasn't there!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I did it again. Maybe I set my Bible on top of my Jeep and drove off again I thought. All kinds of weird thoughts about my Bible's demise were going through my head. Friends I own at least a dozen Bibles of different sizes and versions. But this one has been with me forever. It holds my tears and the tears of others. It has notes that are precious to me. It holds God's words and the notes are there to remind me of how God carried me at times. I needed my Bible so I could comfort my friend with God's word. What was I going to do?

I was almost in a panic when our Pastor showed up and said "Let's pray, we do have spares". We prayed and within seconds I knew where my Bible was. I had to make a hurried stop in the morning and my Bible slid off of the back seat and under my front seat. I had my Bible in my hands. As I was walking in to my appointment God reminded me of what I should have known.

Psalm 46:10New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth

Not only did He speak once to remind me to breathe and be still. He spoke to remind me not to worry, He had the plan.

Matthew 6:5-9 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The night went much better when I slowed down and realized that God keeps His word and I just need to trust it.

Isaiah 41:10New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

 

I think I was encouraged a lot more than my friend was. I forgot for just a little while that the world did not ride on my shoulders.  Amen!!!!!!!!!

 

God bless,

Marty

Prayer and the Lions 1/21/2015

Good Morning,

I wish you were here to share a cup of Door County Hawaiian Hazelnut Coffee with me this morning. Coffee always seems to taste better when you are sharing it.

Last night I was talking with some friends of mine about prayer. I had no idea how much one of them looks forward to the monthly prayer service at church. I knew he liked it, but now I can see the passion he has for it.  In today's Bible passage we find that Daniel would rather spend a night with the lions than miss a day in prayer.

Daniel 6 New International Version (NIV)

Daniel in the Den of Lions

6 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, ² with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. ³ Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. ⁴ At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. ⁵ Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

⁶ So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! ⁷ The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. ⁸ Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” ⁹ So King Darius put the decree in writing.
¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. ¹¹ Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. ¹² So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
¹³ Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” ¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
¹⁵ Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”
¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! ²² My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
²⁴ At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:

“May you prosper greatly!

²⁶ “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God
    and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
    his dominion will never end.
²⁷ He rescues and he saves;
    he performs signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

²⁸ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

 

Not even the threat of being eaten by lions was going to keep Daniel from prayer to God. What keeps you from praying consistently? What keeps you from being an example of prayer to others? 

 

I think our world is filled with disorder right now, more than ever before.

Karl Barth once said " To clasp hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world."

 

It's our choice. Daniel chose not to miss a day, despite the cost.

 

God bless,

Marty

The Tide Of Prayer 1/20/2015

Good Morning,

I am allowing the Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee to really sink in this morning. I arose just a little earlier than usual, giving me more time to "smell the coffee".

As a duck hunter who has traveled many back waters low on liquid I can tell you just how hard it is to row or paddle a boat in mud or sand. Now picture a row boat on a sand dune next to the ocean. Imagine me rowing in the sand as hard as I can. That boat is not going to move. But, now imagine the tide coming in and putting some water under the boat. Well, pretty soon my rowing produces movement and off I go!

The church is like that also. When genuine corporate prayer is absent from the church she struggles to do her work and move forward. But when the tide of true prayer uplifts her to hear and follow God's directions she moves forward.

Acts 12:1-17

Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison

12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. ² He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. ³ When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
⁶ The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
¹² When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. ¹³ Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. ¹⁴ When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
¹⁵ “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
¹⁶ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

I think it is time for us to turn the tide toward more praying churches. What churches lack in advancement can usually be equal to the lack of prayer within the church itself.

Be a praying church. Be part of a praying church.

God bless,
Marty

Fighting The Urge To Help 1/19/2015

Good Morning,

My day begins with a cup of Door County Apple Cobbler Coffee. My day will end trying to figure out how to down load pictures from my cell phone. That one project eluded me last night.

I know that many of us always want to help others and we should. But we also need to be smart and wise in how we help. I was listening to a co-worker complain about his adult child. It seems as if his son just quit another very good job because it just "wasn't a good fit". He told his father this and then asked if Dad would help him with his car payment.  This has been a repeated pattern of working for a few weeks and then quitting, sometimes without a notice. I asked my co-worker how many times he has paid the price because his son wouldn't keep a job? He replied that it has happened at least two times per year for the last 5 years. "I don't want his credit to suffer" he added.

My co-worker is an "enabler". Instead of saying no, he is enabling his son to be lazy. Many of us have unwittingly financed a drug purchase by handing out money to friends or relatives that just always seem to be in some trouble or another. Friends, we need to ask as to where the money is going and when it is apparent that it is going to no good we have to stop the enabling. This means no!

We are not helping when we choose to ignore the real issue and support a bad habit with time and money.

James 4:17New International Version (NIV)
¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

We will be of more help at times when we say no, confront the issue and apply help that is truly needed.

Food for thought? Might be tough meat to chew on, but in reality you wanted to help?

God bless,
Marty

Christians, In Name Only 1/18/2015

Good Morning,

This morning started off with a big cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee. The cup is sitting next to me and is still steaming a little. 

I have the privilege of sharing a ride to church with a World War Two Veteran this morning. Our friend can no longer drive, but yet desires to be in church each Sunday. A system of ride sharing is being developed so he can get there. I get to go today and consider it quite and honor to pick up and deliver a man who's desire is to be in church no matter his age or circumstances.

I spoke with him yesterday and as we were arranging pick up times he told me that he loves Jesus and wants to worship Him where he has faithfully worshipped for over 30 years. That statement of love for Jesus tells it all.

Matthew 22:37-39        
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself

Friends, I hear people say all the time that they love ice cream, or they love their spouse. Churches around the world are filled each Sunday with people who say that they are Christians. But not too often do I hear of their love for the Lord. I believe that they love the good feeling that attending church gives them. I believe that they love serving and the feeling it gives them.

But what is missing is an understanding of how much they are loved and that being loved and being in love requires two. The relationship has to go both ways.

Romans 5:8        
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This man not only calls himself a Christian but is a Christian in his heart. He has a personal love relationship with His Savior and Lord.

My wife shares my last name. This started on the day we were married. She is my spouse and I love her. But what a farce it would be if she just took my last name and did not love me in return. By the way, she does love me.

1 John 4:16        
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

So today's challenge is for all of us to examine our relationship with Jesus and look deep inside and ask, "do I love the Lord"? It only takes a few seconds to be honest with yourself. If there is anything that comes before the Lord on your list of loves you will know and your love list needs to change. Because if there is anything that comes first before God you really could be a Christian in name only.

The problem can be fixed by admitting the change that needs to take place, state your love for Him, resetting your priorities, and experience the love relationship that God intended to have with us.

Now open the Bible and read. It is so much easier to read and understand when you are in love with the Author. Page by page you will see God's love for you and you will desire more and more to love in return. No go ahead and say it out loud. "I love you Lord"! 

By the way. I love Jesus, the One who died for me.

God bless,
Marty

Be Resilient. 1/17/2015

Good Morning,

My day started with a hot cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee and a walk behind our Dog Gibbs as we guided for pheasants. Some old friends needed a dog to flush pheasants for them at a ranch. It sure was good to see those guys.

Last summer I remember taking a walk with Rene along a beach of Lake Michigan. In the sand there was a good sized hole that someone had dug. The hole was half filled with water. I observed a child about four years of age playing in the sand and water. As we walked by we noticed that he had a decent sized cork in the water. He would push the cork down under the water and let go. The cork would pop up to the surface in a split second. This seemed to amuse and frustrate the child. That cork just wouldn't stay under the water. The cork is made of stuff that won't let it drown.

There are times when I feel like a little cork bobbing in the waves of an ocean. I am sure that we all feel that way now and then. But then I remember that God is with me no matter what and that He said to go through life and that He would be with us. He doesn't pluck us from the oceans of life and place us on dry ground all the time. There are times when we just continue to bob through. But we don't sink. God asks us to lean on Him and He will help us float.

Joshua 1:9         
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Don't quit, never quit, run to God. God won't.

God bless,
Marty

Letting The Fire Burn Out 1/16/2015

Good Morning,

Friday has arrived right on time. My morning is starting with a big cup of Door County Candy Cane Coffee. I have to be on my best this morning. Lots of important paperwork to finish.

One of the best things about having a fireplace is that final glow that comes from the last of the logs as the fire burns down for the night. All I have to do is add more wood and we are back to a blaze in no time flat. But since my house does not depend upon the wood for heat I don't keep the fire going at night. I prefer not to worry about a stray spark starting a fire and burning down the house.

Proverbs 26:20        
For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases

I have decided that gossip is a lot like wood on a fire. Where there isn't any gossip there is less arguments or quarrels. When my fireplace is low on flames there is that huge temptation to add more wood, but then I have to stay awake or close by the fireplace for safety's sake. When you hear a juicy bit of gossip there is that huge temptation to repeat it. So it is best to not accept that big log into your hearth to begin with. Like a fireplace loaded with wood, a person loaded with gossip spews forth information and trouble like hot heat from the fireplace. Even just a little fire can burn you or others.

When you make the healthy decision to not partake of gossip by listening or repeating it, there is less stress and struggles within your heart. So let the fire go out Friends. Choose this day to be gossip free.

Have a great weekend.

Marty

The Cure For Boredom 1/15/15

Good Morning,

My day is looking like it will be a busy one. I am filling up a cup with Door County German Chocolate Cake coffee and heading out into the cold.

I am already looking forward to Friday when Rene and I plan on meeting friends for a night of snow tubing and fellowship. I can't wait.

Now tubing isn't something that we do all the time. It can cost up to twenty dollars per person so it is something we budget for. We will fly down the hills and enjoy the wind slapping our face as we go.

If Rene and I weren't going tubing Friday we would be doing something else. Not too long ago we started a fire outside in the cold and drank hot chocolate. That really only cost a few cents to do. It wasn't expensive at all. And to top it off we added some music from a radio. We had a nice time watching the full moon come out.

Friends I know people who tell me all the time that they are "bored with nothing to do". Well it is a big world out there and the moon rises all the time. So I say to those people "you are as bored as you choose to be." Maybe you can't get outside. Do you have a window?  We pray about what activities or ministry we are to do. Many nights are spent in silence as we read a book or study our Bibles.  The cure for boredom is at the end of your own willingness to get up and create an activity. Maybe it's just time to clean a small corner of the house and take some unused clothing to a shelter. Maybe you could call and cheer someone else up. What do you think God wants you do with your time right now?
           A great solution to boredom is to live life as an adventure

You have a choice about your attitude and how you approach life 

You can turn to God for a "boredom cure." Life does not need to be boring or meaningless for Christians. You can choose to approach every day and every activity with a spirit of adventure, regardless of your situation. 

You have a purpose and are called to a great adventure—to touch people's lives for God.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

My wife and I are very busy with ministry work within our church. That alone would be enough to keep us from being bored. I would have to say that any Christian should be ashamed to say that they are bored, especially if they haven't asked God what He would like for them to do.

Food for thought. Hope I didn't bore you.

Marty

Words Of Wisdom Psalm 27 1/14/2015

Good Morning,

I find myself very quiet this morning, with some dear friends on my mind. One has just lost his best friend and another is battling cancer. My heart goes out to them and my prayers are lifted up on high on their behalf.

Psalm 27:13-14

I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

When I think of the calamity in my little portion of the world and then look abroad and see the wars, terrorism, crime, hunger, and debauchery, I know that the only wise thing I can do is to remain confident that God is on His throne and that I need to wait on Him to carry me through, despite what I see. True wisdom leads me to desiring to have more of God and to trust Him.

Psalm 27:1-4

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked advance against me
    to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.
³ Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.
 

  Lord thank you for making me human, that I might need more and more of You. Thank you for never turning me away. Whom shall I fear?

Amen,

Marty

A Prayer For Today

Good Morning,

The old cup is filled with Door County Christmas Coffee. We just saw our daughter out of the door and off to the airport for home. It was a great visit. Today's writing will be more of a prayer for us to concentrate on.

Psalm 19:14

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Today let's concentrate on the words that come out of our mouths. Do they praise? Do they build up? Are the honorable? Do they cry in joy? Are they worthy to be heard?

Have a great day. God Bless,

Marty

Renewed Takes Time 1/12/15

Good Morning,

Door County Candy Cane Coffee is brewing as I write this and will soon be filling my cup.

Today's message will be short. It is written for those struggling through hard times. It is for those who are content, waiting on the Lord to do something. It is for those who just don't know where to run or where to turn.  Here is a promise from God.

Isaiah 40:31King James Version (KJV)
³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Wait patiently, He is carrying you now through this time and will renew your strength as you rest waiting in Him.
God bless you my friends.
Marty

When The Doors Open At Church 1/11/2015

Good Morning,

Sunday morning, and I my coffee is a hot mug of Door County White Christmas. I am rested and feeling better due to a schedule change yesterday. I took full advantage of a day that God rearranged. I was to be helping a friend with his church's pheasant hunt by guiding a group with our dog. Due to the cold weather and cancellations I wasn't needed. I have been feeling pretty lousy and tired. God had me sit one out which I found out was an answer to my wife's prayers. Hard to argue with God and her.

Have you ever watched people walk into church on Sunday morning. I have, at many churches. All the churches have several things in common. People of different ages attend and come through the doors. Some people have different racial backgrounds. Then there are two different genders that come in. Not everyone is the same height either. Some are a little rounder in the belly and others look like skinny pencils. Not everyone has hair and many hair colors are represented in these groups. Some people are coming to serve, others are coming to be Spiritually fed. Some are attending and they hurt emotionally and others are rejoicing from a week of praises. Some are coming to pray. Some are coming and are seeking something missing in their life, which is a relationship with God.

But they all show up. Many different reasons and many different moods come in when the doors open on a church. When the first key is placed in the lock of a church and the door opens an all too familiar enemy walks in first.

You see, Satan is an early riser. He gets to church and homes earlier than you do. He starts by having a great movie on television Saturday night. This causes everyone to stay up late and not take time to pray and prepare to come to church. Yes I said prepare yourself to come and worship. The Holy Spirit isn't a faucet to be turned on and off. We must walk in the spirit at all times. So a little extra sleep causes a rush to occur on Sunday and even has some showing up late. This means that they might miss praise and worship, along with announcements. Satan causes many a good person to miss out on events because they don't have time to read the bulletin or listen to the announcements. I hear it all the time. "If only I had known about it, I would have been there." Satan just won! You were late because Sunday wasn't a priority to you and you did not prepare ahead of time. You see Sunday and church takes an effort on your part to be ready spiritually and physically.

So then you walk in and you are unprepared for Sunday. I said Satan has already come through the doors. Who does he put together? Mr. McCrabby and Ms. McNasty run into each other and neither intends for Satan to use them to ruin each others day but it happens. Of course there are differences in people and different opinions and different styles. God made us that way. Satan just won again and due to lack of heart preparation prior to meeting, there is now an issue between people. So then the there are people who miss the messages because of a hard heart toward others. They miss opportunities to love each other and learn to practice the love of family and Jesus Christ with one another. Satan loves it when He can come to church, start an argument, teach people to hold a grudge, tie up the pastors office with mediations. He wins. This happens in every church, every time the doors open, Satan likes to get there first. He usually starts with you at home!

The Bible gives us instructions on what to expect and how to act. It gives us examples to set. The usual answer for people is to run off to a different church. Satan knows where they are going to go. He's already planning his attendance. Secondly a church is a building where the family of God meets. God expects His family to learn to get along. So basically it is all one BIG CHURCH. Not getting along with each other in love and differences is a sin. Satan wins again! Satan tends to leave when he can't find a foothold. Resist him and he flees. But we give him a seat every week with petty differences and poor heart preparations.

So follow these Biblical examples and see if your Sunday is a little more Satan free.

1 Peter 5:8 (KJ21)  PREPARE TO MEET WITH GOD AND OTHERS.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

 John 13:34-35New International Version (NIV) LOVE WITHOUT CEASING

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

 

Romans 12:3New International Version (NIV) PUT OTHERS FIRST

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

 

Matthew 6:14-15   FORGIVE MUCH. YOU ALSO HAVE MUCH TO BE FORGIVEN.      

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Now there's God's design for His family. Enjoy the day.

God bless,

Marty