Building A Team For Haiti 2/29/2016

Good Morning,

Monday arrived as I knew it would, so instead of fighting it I decided to join in, but right after I finish a cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee.

Yesterday our mission team that is going to Haiti this summer sold hot ham and rolls at church to help raise funds for the trip. The team worked very hard and the church responded with a large sum of money. Some people ate their ham right at church and some fellowship occurred as a result of the ham and rolls.

What I saw beyond the dollars and great ham was God at work building a team that will represent Him. I get to lead the team but the Holy Spirit is molding them and wiring them together as a group. God has assembled this team of 11 individuals, all with different styles, abilities and passions. Now that He assembled it, He is working to refine the team. How do I know this. I see the following attributes working within them. These can only come from God.

1 Corinthians 1:10

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Romans 15:5-6   

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:10

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:


It will be very interesting to see how God uses each one in different ways during this trip. It is very interesting to see Him work in their lives now. More to come. But if you are building a team to serve the Lord these are some great verses to help model the team.

God bless,

Marty

You Can Trust Your Car To The Man. 2/28/2016

Good Morning,

Happy Sunday to you. I am rushing a little this morning to get to church. Our hot ham and hard roll sale is today. The money raised will be used to support our team that is going to Haiti later this summer.  My travel mug will be filled with Door County Jingle Bell Java Coffee. Yes, I still have some Christmas flavors to use. I am saving some for Christmas in July.

 

 

 

"You can trust your car to the man who wears the star" was a popular advertising slogan used by the Texaco Oil Company back in the day. I am not sure if they still use it or not.
My first job at fourteen was working in a Texaco gas station just down the street from our home. I worked there for a long time until my life sent me in other directions. It was an experience I would not trade for anything. I learned to pump gas, wash windows, check for the proper air pressure in tires, repair tires, change wiper blades, change oil, replace brakes, mufflers , carburetors, gears, radiators, light bulbs, make change, sell cigarettes, clean bathrooms, drive stick shift, plow snow, hand out green stamps, flirt with old ladies and learned to swear. When I took the job, I thought about how nice it would be to repair cars and pump gas. Little did I know that we were also a distributor for Coca Cola, and when there was a soda sale I would be lifting wooden crates in and out of cars filled with glass bottles, sometimes 10 per car. The job was much more than a little work on cars and pumping gas. What made that corner fuel emporium successful was the fact that we did it all. The rest rooms were clean and your car was fixed correctly. When we washed a windshield it was clean. If we said your oil was just right, it was.  I remember a young mother rushing into the gas pump area, stopping the car, telling me to "filler up" and asking me to watch her kids as she raced toward the restrooms with what I suppose was a two to three year old toddler, who was ready to have an accident in his pants. So I watched the kids, washed the windows and checked the oil. How many places can you do that in now?

 

Here's the thing. We became to all people what they needed at the moment. Some people stopped in daily for two dollars worth of gasoline and really what they wanted was to just talk.

 

As Christians we are to be the same way. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23New King James Version (NKJV)

Serving All Men

¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; ²⁰ and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; ²¹ to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law; ²² to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ²³ Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you

 

We can't pick and choose how we minister. God expects us to flex and meet the needs of others. When I was choosing a career path, the job of professional mover was never on my radar screen, ever! But over the years I can't number all the people I have helped to move. God entrusts other people to us and at times we will need to do things that are not timely, comfortable or fun. But God expects His kids to be the bright shining stars to the world and He trusts us with the eternal lives of others. So we need to become all the things to people searching for answers to Heaven and hell, advice on life, or looking for friends, because we wear the star. That star is Jesus Christ.

 

Have a great day.

 

Marty



Lifting Weights 2/27/2015

Good Morning,

My cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee is helping to get this old dude going this morning. I have to pick up a lot of supplies for a mission team fund raiser this morning. To be honest it will feel pretty good to start the Old Ford F250 this morning. My buddy hasn't moved since last weekend.

Last night Rene and I shared an omelet for supper, watched a little of the news and then headed out to the gym for a work out. We are empty nester's now for a long time and we can pretty much plan an evening out whenever we want to. We enjoy heading out together and we call it a date! We get all dressed up in our sweat pants and hang some towels around our necks. Now doesn't that sound romantic? It really is, and we do have our share of candle light dinners, fireworks in July, movies and a classy show now and then. But what is so great about sweat pants and grunting while lifting weights together?  The answer is this. We are together. God gifted us with each other and we are to enjoy one another. I would rather work out with Rene than with anyone else.

Friends, make it a habit to date your spouses. Time together is romantic just because you choose to share it with each other. It does not have to be extravagant each time. But every now and then, save up and treat yourselves to something special.

Now if you have kids, let them know that whatever it is you are doing is "date night". Let them see that God has brought you together and you are going to nourish the relationship and help it to continue to grow. Set the example for them early in life. Dads take your daughters on a date and show them how a gentleman should treat them. Moms take your boys out on a date and show them how to act and treat a lady.

Amos 3:3King James Version (KJV)
³ Can two walk together, except they be agreed.

Marriage is like a bank account. It can only take so many withdrawals before it is empty. Now and then it needs a deposit or two to keep it solvent. Those dates you go on are deposits with interest that grows and grows.

Go ahead and have some fun. Your best friend is just waiting to go!

God bless,

Marty

Old Trophies, Treasures and Trash 2/26/2016

Good Morning,

The world would be a better place if we all met for a few minutes over a cup of Door County Country Morning Blend Coffee. Can you imagine what that would be like?

As I write from my den I am surrounded by trophies and gifts of mine that were awarded, shot, or given to me as gifts. There are a lot of memories in each and every dead animal on the wall or the pictures hung with care. Rene and I both have a collection of athletic trophies for baseball, football, volleyball and the one trophy we won together for bowling. Some day all of these will need to be redistributed among those who will be around after die. I can imagine some of my family might keep one or two of my treasures but most I believe will be rummaged, given away or tossed. I can see them now wondering about a trophy for little league baseball with the year of 1982. Doing the math they would realize that "their little leaguer" was 25 years old when this trophy was awarded. They probably don't even know that I coached little league baseball.

Why this nostalgic trip down depression lane you say? No, not really a trip of sadness but a  trip to make a statement of truth. All these things that I consider to be treasures will some day be someone else's treasures or trash to get rid of. What is of most value are the treasures one can lay up in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-21New King James Version (NKJV)

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My heart is laid up in heaven. The one thing I can keep forever is my heart.
Having the heart in heaven is the secret of living heavenly. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”* (Matthew 12:34) “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”* (Proverbs 4:23) Man lives out what is in the heart. To live heavenly, you must have heaven in your heart and your heart in heaven.

We are to treasure the Lord Jesus most of all. When Jesus is our treasure, we will commit our resources—our money, our time, our talents— and our hearts to His work in this world. Our motivation for what we do is important 1 Corinthians 10:31. Paul encourages servants that God has an eternal reward for those who are motivated to serve Christ: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”

Those trophies are mine and will always be. These Earthly treasures although nice will someday end. So I enjoy them for now a little but place more emphasis on heaven and where my heart will be forever.

God bless,

Marty

A Drink Of Water 2/25/2016

Good Morning,

You all know how often I talk about drinking a cup of java, just like the mug filled with Door County Hazelnut Crème Coffee sitting next to me. So today I want to discuss a drink of water.

Matthew 10:42New King James Version (NKJV)
⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward

Where I live we have four distinct seasons and three out of the four help to keep our source of drinking water cold. For me there is nothing like running the water for a little bit in January and pouring myself a very cold glass of water. Water that is cold enough, it does not need ice cubes to chill it, ah nothing like it!

I remember as a child playing outside on a hot day and then turning on the garden hose and passing it around with friends drinking in the cold refreshing water that was spewing forth. That water was just what we needed to cool us off and keep us from suffering from dehydration. Going too long without water can be very serious and cause some severe illnesses. Many mission teams go out each year to dig wells and install filters to provide a drink of water to those in need around the world. If you are one of those doing this, KEEP GOING. I salute you. Water is a basic need for all people.  You don't have to go too far to provide a cool drink to someone. I once had a mission team go out armed with water bottles that they could pass out on an extremely hot day to people passing by. It was a random act of kindness that was simple to do. Sharing a drink of water is one of the kindest things you can do. Give the drink and ask if there is anything you can pray about for that person. You might just find someone in need of prayer and you will be there to let them see the love of God through you.

So much can be done with a drink of water. When was the last time you walked outside on a hot day and brought a glass of cold water to a neighbor or a family member who was working out there? That simple act tells them that they were though about.

Just saying!

Marty

A Trip To The Emergency Room 2/24/2016

Good Morning,
I hope you are well. I wish we could sit and share a cup of my Door County Cherry Crème Coffee together. That would be a nice day.

Many of you know that I work at a large medical center. My office is very close to the Emergency department and quite often my work has me interacting with the department manager and some of the staff. Sometimes when I walk by I can see into the department and can tell by the intensity level that they are extremely busy. I can also tell by the looks on their faces when they are trying to save a life or when things are going bad for a patient. It's at that time when I take a trip and go to another Emergency Department.

Now let this be known. I do not have a clinical bone in my body and can do nothing to help anyone except to give someone an aspirin, two band aids and some advice to suck it up and it will make you stronger. My biggest form of compassion is to sympathy vomit. If you vomit in front of me, I will have sympathy and vomit right next to you. So what trip do I take? I walk and pray silently for God's help in healing, or comfort during a loss for families, and to protect my co-workers from anguish and hurt. I pray that God will help them as He uses them to save a life or to comfort them if the answer is no. I go to Heaven's Emergency Department and pray because it is the best I can do and the least I can do. They never know they were prayed for and they don't need to. But since I believe in God and prayer, wherever I am, the Emergency Room is just a prayer away.

Philippians 4:6New King James Version (NKJV)
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Pray for someone to day. Let God know you care. Send a silent message of love for those in need right to God.

Have a great day,

Marty

Just Because You Can Change, Doesn't Mean You Should 2/23/2016

Good Morning,

How are you all today? I pray this finds you of good cheer. I raise my cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee to God and toast Him for being awesome.

Today I want to talk about the trend of permissive parenting. I am a believer in compromise when it is called for. But what I see these days are parents allowing children to dictate the rules for the family. I witnessed this not long ago when I listened to some young teenagers telling their parents that they were not going to church anymore because they didn't like some aspects of the church they were called to years ago. Their mother asked me what I thought and for a moment I almost held back. I told the parents just how lucky they are to have young teens who know everything and it would be a good idea to listen to that well founded and seasoned wisdom coming from a thirteen year old.

Mom was quick to run to the defense of their young Solomons. "You don't understand. If we don't move our church membership we stand the risk of losing them." Not being one to hold back, my reply was simple. "You already lost them. If they run the family and don't know and respect the hierarchy God has established, you have already lost them. If you cave into them now, you have set the precedent for the future". 

I believe this upset this young couple, but the truth is not always pleasant. Ask school teachers about the parents that come into the class declaring that the child's bad grades are always because of bad teaching. They make a horses rump out of themselves by making these claims when actually Gertrude and Johnny are in fact poor students.

Friends we are not doing our kids any favors by treating childhood like a voting Democratic society where by any vote you can lose. Love your kids enough to teach them to respect, honor, and obey you by being consistent and not allowing them to run the household. Spend time with them, serve God with them, have them get to church on time, respect their teachers, and don't make excuses for them. With love, hold them accountable and you do the leading. It's your job to be the parent, not theirs.  This is not exasperating the child. But the opposite is to spoil the child. No one like spoiled milk and less of all a spoiled kid who knows if they complain enough you will let them be the parent.

 Honoring our children above the Lord. Eli also sinned in that he did not remove his sons as priests before God; he honored them above God. In a similar fashion, some parents honor their children above God. I have seen cases in which the church was forced to withdraw from some ungodly children. The reaction of the parents was that they bad-mouthed the elders or quit attending services. Parents are willing to defend their children above the god-fearing elders even though they admit that their children are guilty of sin.
 Failing to restrain our children. Some of us are tainted with the philosophy of modern psychiatry which teaches that children should not be restrained lest they grow up inhibited. Consequently, we see children of Christians who sass their parents or otherwise act anyway they so please. Parents who so conduct themselves toward their children are guilty of sin before God.

In the following passages we can see the signs of permissive parenting practiced by Eli. Unfortunately Eli did not follow God's advice and was a poor leader for his family. The family suffered the consequences.

The Wicked Sons of Eli

¹² Now the sons of Eli were corrupt;^[b] they did not know the Lord. ¹³ And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. ¹⁴ Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵ Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.”
¹⁶ And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.”
¹⁷ Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

Samuel’s Childhood Ministry

¹⁸ But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.
²¹ And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

Prophecy Against Eli’s Household

²² Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel,^[c] and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. ²⁴ No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. ²⁵ If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.
²⁶ And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
²⁷ Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? ²⁸ Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? ²⁹ Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’ ³⁰ Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. ³¹ Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. ³² And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. ³³ But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. ³⁴ Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. ³⁵ Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever. ³⁶ And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.”

Enjoy your day!

Marty

Puppy Love 2/22/2016

Good Morning,

I can't wait until this pot of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee finishes the brewing process. I would have to say that I am a little impatient today.

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Proverbs 27:9   
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

I heard from a friend this weekend and he asked me to pray for his teenage daughter. She just turned 14  and it seems that over the summer she developed a crush on a young boy the same age. The crush was mutual and the relationship blossomed into a love relationship. Now you are probably jumping up and down saying "what can to 14 year olds know about love". Let's just wait a minute. I asked why he wanted me to pray for her. Well the relationship was crushed by the young man breaking it off to pursue other options. My friend explained to me that his daughter has been crying on and off for two days now. I asked him how he handled it. I found out that he sat her down and told her that there would be other boys and that soon she would forget this and the world had bigger problems than her "minor league break up".  I agreed that the world had bigger problems than her encounter with real life, but her crisis is the only one she has and to her this is the worst thing that could happen. I told Dad to step up and treat her tenderly, spend more time with her and nurse her through this heart break. Here is what I heard, "Are you kidding"?  I was really not kidding. A man (boy) just broke her heart and this is an opportunity for Dad to shine and treat this problem as number one, because to her it is.

We might have bigger hurts and problems going on, but we should never minimize the hurt that anyone is experiencing. We can show love through even the most minor hurts, which to the hurting one is a monster of a problem right now.

I think we all had some young summer loves and can all recall the "break up". I heard "suck it up boy, find another one." I followed that advice and made some huge mistakes. Let's remember how we hurt and set kids on the right path by showing we actually can remember how it felt and that we care.

Puppy love hurts just as much as a divorce after 15 years to the one who is hurting.

God bless,

Marty

Church Attendance, Does The End Of The Week Come As A Surprise? 2/21/2016

Good Morning,

The old java machine just finished brewing my cups of Door County Country Morning Coffee. I have high hopes for today as I head out this afternoon with Gibbs to guide for pheasants at our annual church hunt. Yesterday was a bit of a bummer as some of our participants had a very hard time connecting their shot gun to the birds.

Hebrews 10:25King James Version (KJV)
²⁵ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I would like to talk about the caregivers that report to me at the hospital. I am still relatively new to this position so many of the workers who report to me were ones that I inherited with the job. In the last two years I have added a couple. Their pride in showing up on time through any adversity has amazed me. Most all of them arrive at least 15 minutes early so as to be on time. When the crew is lighter on weekends they have an unwritten rule "No one calls in for and absence". In two years I have seen this happen twice and one of the times was more than legitimate and the other was met with a stern chiding from the peers. Both times with the shortage the team scrambled to cover the hours needed at the medical center.

During the orientation of our newcomers I let the team meet with them and they go over the unwritten expectations. Our employer has a written attendance and tardy policy which I see as very accommodating. But this team sets the bar a lot higher. They also have not had a lost time accident in almost two years now. That's another bar they set high. You won't be hurt if your doing things safely and properly. Here's the moral of this lesson. They hold each other accountable to be there for the patients and the team.  Now come to think of it I am the same way and Rene is even worse. I have seen something legitimately hold her up and she had to rush into church at the last second and Katie bar the door if she has to be late for work or church.

She asked me once how I felt about those who come into church ten minutes late as we have already started. I replied, " I am just glad they made it. I adjust the order of the service so that they aren't missing the message". She laughed and said, I was an enabler. "Try giving the message in the beginning for a few weeks and see if they change their habits". Now there is a thought!

There is no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shall not be late, ever,” so it’s not as simple as one Scripture reference to determine God’s view on tardiness. Everyone has been late to something at some point, often due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances. But, if someone is habitually late and unconcerned about being on time, especially if that person professes to be a Christian, then scriptural principles do apply. As with all things, God looks at the heart, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7

When we set patterns of lateness and tardiness we tell those around us where our priorities are. Yes there are times with perfectly good excuses and these need to be considered. But when  the lateness becomes a habit because you had to stop and get a coffee, you my friend have an issue. For example last night on our way to church I pulled into a convenience store/gas station and Rene asked why. I explained that my throat was dry and that I wanted a Coke. She looked at her watch and rolled her eyes. " You need to be there to greet people early"! I immediately pulled out of my spiral toward being a  couple minutes late, to open the church up, but not really late. I live with a time Czar. But she is correct. She is praying for someone that needs counseling and she really wanted me to be there early. I did get to meet with that one after service which caused Rene  to be late for supper. Ha!

Seriously, what's with the lax attendance and arriving late for church? Doesn't God deserve better? When we pass away and Jesus greets us and the angels carry us, would you like for them to be late while you wait wondering if what you believed to be true, is true? No you wouldn't, and they will be right on time. If you have children and grandchildren with you, what are you teaching them? Don't be surprised if later in life they struggle with being on time for school and work. You just showed them that the most important day of the week for Christians is really a day to be a slacker.  In your old age you might be sitting in church alone because, well, they just don't see the importance.  We never instilled that lesson into them. My caregivers hold each other accountable. What would happen if you lovingly said to the chronic late people " I notice that you struggle getting in on time, is there any way I can help you? It might be that the mother of eight is just struggling with the eight children. Could you stop by earlier and help? I know one of my messages in March for our Saturday night service will be on promptness.

Ok off of the soap box and into the day!

Marty

When It Gets Too Hot 2/20/2016

Good Morning,

Headed out with our dog Gibbs to do some guiding for pheasants today. I will be with some good folks having some fun and drinking some Door County Hazelnut Crème Coffee as I drive.

Sometimes it seems as if life can be a pressure cooker or fiery furnace all at one time. Many times this added pressure is doubled because of the temptation to give in. The old devil tries to convince us that we are defeated and alone. Many times he is correct. Because we have forgotten to call upon God to sustain us, protect us and guide us, or we have just decided to go it on our own power. Let's read Daniel Chapter 3

Daniel 3New King James Version (NKJV)

The Image of Gold

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ² And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; ⁶ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

⁷ So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. ⁹ They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; ¹¹ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Saved in Fiery Trial

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ²² Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
²⁵ “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”^[a]

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. ²⁷ And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel^[b] and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were young men when their faith was severely tested. Yet, even threatened with death, they would not compromise their beliefs.

Who was the fourth man Nebuchadnezzar saw in the flames? Whether he was an angel or a manifestation of Christ, we cannot be certain, but that his appearance was miraculous and supernatural, we can have no doubt. God had provided a heavenly bodyguard to be with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego during their intense time of need.

God's miraculous intervention in a moment of crisis is not promised. If it were, believers would not need to exercise faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God and determined to be faithful without any guarantee of deliverance.

The point to be made is this. These three had no promise of intervention from God. Yet they knew they would rather obey Him than choose to bow to an idol. They knew where they stood and nothing would keep them from failing, even death. They were willing to fight for their love for God to the end. They stood against evil.

I think we can all find some inspiration here to keep the faith and walk without falling to temptation. This is not always easy but neither is a overheated furnace!

Go on!

Marty

Don't Call Me, I'll Call You 2/18/2016

Good Morning,

Friday and it is a day to celebrate for me. So I started this day off with a big cup of one of my favorites, Jingle Bell Java from the Door County Coffee Company. Rene has the day off and I wish her the best of a day filled with late sleep. Off to work I go!

Lately we have received several calls from the Internal Revenue Service asking us to settle our back taxes that we supposedly owe. They want us to give them a credit card number so we can charge our debt and avoid jail time.

We all know that these phone calls are a hoax and a scam that people are using to trick others into giving them your credit card number so they can steal money from us. This is an illegal activity and the local television stations are warning people of the scam.

I for one actually welcome the calls. I have two approaches to their call. I ask to meet in person so I can pay cash and they hang up or I read the following Bible passages to them. For some reason they don't want to meet me!

Revelation 20:10  

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 21:8

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 20:15   

And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire

 

Romans 10:13

¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

They usually ask me what I am doing and I tell them what God has to say about those who lie and cheat other people. I am actually doing them a good deed. I have left them with God's Word and I leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit  to convict them of their need for a Savior. I actually show them the right way to eternal happiness. To be honest, they usually hang up right after I finish, some are yelling and screaming at me. But I know this, I took my Christianity on the offense and really hit a nerve with them.

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 I did what they needed, and if the Word of God offended them, well that's between them and God.

Love to all!

Marty

Seasoning Is Wise Counsel 2/18/2015

Good Morning,

Today I woke up to a big cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee as well as a slow roasted hickory seasoned pork shoulder. The pork was cooking slowly all night and will be eaten this weekend.

Meat all by itself can be ok, but just add some seasoning and you have a feast. You can take a piece of meat and run it over a few times with the Old Ford Truck and it might be tender but it will never be as good as if it had a little seasoning.  That's the quick way to tender eating but not as good as aging the steak, seasoning it and cooking it at just the right temperature.

Old age is like seasoning. If seasoning is kept in the bottle it never accomplishes anything. It must be poured out on to the meat to accomplish the tenderizing and the flavor boost. In my spice rack at home I have many different spices, some have never improved any meat because I have kept the lid closed and made their home in the back of the spice rack.

Older people have a lot of experiences to share and a lot of wisdom that can help tenderize life for us if we open the lid and let their wisdom loose. Most young people think a steak is good, but they have never tasted an aged to perfection piece of meat with just the right amount of seasoning. They eat, but miss out on doing it the right way.

Wisdom is in seeking advice from those who have not only been around the block, they helped to build the block. They made mistakes too, but a wise person is willing to share what they learned and help pave the road for those who are starting out.  Someone who I believe was an idiot once said, "people need to make their own mistakes". That had to be someone who was very selfish, without an ounce of compassion in their bones.  Help out those who are younger by sharing what you have learned. Young folks, wise up and smell the roses before the wells of seasoned experience dry up for you and heed some advice. Typically what you don't know, is how much you don't know. Here is how you prove it. If you wrote the resume of your life's choices, would you be impressed with everything?

God has a verse or two to back me up!

1 Kings 12:6-19English Standard Version (ESV)
⁶ Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” ⁷ And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” ⁸ But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. ⁹ And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” ¹⁰ And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. ¹¹ And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” ¹³ And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, ¹⁴ he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

The Kingdom Divided

¹⁶ And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. ¹⁷ But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. ¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day


Well, have a great day. Listen for Godly advice. It might make or break you.

Marty

Giving It Your Best 2/17/2016

Good Morning,

The dawn has broken a little and the sound of the Door County Raspberry Crunch Coffee draining into the pot has me awake. Gibbs hit the floor and wants to be fed. It's a regular circus here this morning.

On Friday I will be slathering some chicken with barbecue sauce and firing up the grill. I really believe that a good piece of chicken should never be insulted with mediocre barbecue sauce. Knowing in advance what I was going to grill, Rene and I drove a good piece to obtain a barbecue sauce that I really believe is one of the best I have ever tasted.

 

 

This will be chicken fit for a king and queen. Here is the point, anything good takes effort and should receive our best shot. This is especially true when it comes to work, our families, our marriages and our relationship with God.

 

Colossians 3:23-24New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.


People will go a long way for a great steak or a hobby. But how far would you travel to bring a cup of water to a beggar? Give it all your best. Second best is never good enough.

Have a great day.!

Marty

Not Everything Is An Accident 2/16/2016

Good Morning,

The old percolator is pouring forth some Door County Country Morning Blend Coffee as I write. That first cup will go down smooth and the second one even easier.

I was doing a little purging of hats I don't wear or never will again as we try to de-clutter a little. I came across an old blaze orange hunting hat that has been on my coat rack for around twenty years. It was not tossed into the scrap heap. The hat is filled with holes and covered in dried blood. It is a reminder to me of the day while hunting that I tasted the wrath of a 12 gauge shot gun at a pretty close range. It was an accident that is hard to explain and I still carry 17 bb's from that blast in my body. My close friend experienced an accidental discharge of his gun and I was on the wrong end. I was sore for several days and can never experience an MRI due to the bb's being steel shot. It was a true accident and we are still close friends to this day. It does remind me to always be as safe as I can while hunting or practicing with a gun.

My point is this. Both of us suffered and he felt terrible. I felt bad because he never really hunted much after that. I was fine and I am fine now. But each morning when I listen to the news I hear about more and more senseless shootings and people dying every day. I whole heartedly support the 2nd amendment right to bear arms in the US. I am a card carrying conceal carry weapon holder. But using that weapon is the last thing I want to do except to defend my family against danger. I am not calling for more gun control, I am calling for mind and heart control, a return back to the basics. The Ten Commandments would be a good place to start. God has a plan to stop gun deaths, and injuries and it is ten easy steps. Each one leads to successful and safe living.

Exodus 20New King James Version (NKJV)

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
³ “You shall have no other gods before Me.
⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
⁷ “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
¹³ “You shall not murder.
¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.
¹⁵ “You shall not steal.
¹⁶ “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Accidents happen, but if we taught and followed the Ten Commandments I believe we would have less news in the mornings. How about us all starting this movement in our own homes?

Have a great day!

Marty

Saying Goodbye To The Kitchen 2/15/2016

Good Morning,

I am stepping out with my cup of Door County Candy Cane Coffee in hand and a prayer on my lips. My hope for the day is to come home at reasonable hour, and go to work out with Rene at the local gym.

We will be doing a pretty good sized remodel of our kitchen later this spring. I am a creature of habit, but this well used kitchen of ours is in need of a facelift. I have put it off long enough.
Rene has an eye for antiques and how they can be used again or re-purposed. Yesterday as we were looking for antiques, she mentioned an idea that would repurpose an old sewing machine drawer and some vintage canning jars. Her idea is to place the jars in the drawer and use them as pantry canisters for flour, sugar and salt. I thought the idea was great until we got home and I realized that the canisters we used for 30 years would be given away or tossed. I made a lot of meals out of those canisters.  Now, really losing the canisters is not that big of a deal and it is time for a new look. But I started to recall some of the people that were served by those canisters as well as the kitchen. And some of those folks are gone now. But now it is time to continue making memories. Just like duck hunting, it's not the gun, the boat or the decoys that make the hunt. It is who you share it with, like your buddy, a great dog and God. God gave us this kitchen and all that is in it. It isn't the table, the oven or the coffee that makes the kitchen special. It's who sat for a bite to eat, who celebrated a birthday, who spilled a Mountain Dew, it was who was there with us, family, friends, and God.  I think some of the best days in that kitchen are yet to come.

Ecclesiastes 7:10New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ Do not say,
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

 

God bless,

 

Marty

A Trip To The Candy Shop 2/14/2016

Good Morning,

I am glad to be alive today and drinking a cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee. We have a great day planned, which mostly consists of spending time together in a couple antique shops and one mustard shop. I am all out of the specialty mustards I use to cook with.

Today is Valentines Day. And like a lot of people will do I also want my wife to know how special she is to me. Rene is diabetic and most sweet treats are a no go. Tucked away in a little city is a specialty candy shop. When they first started making a few limited styles of sugar free candy a long time ago, I stopped in and brought home a small heart shaped box with some samples. Rene had tears in her eyes and they weren't the happy kind. "I can't believe you would be so mean as to bring chocolates to a diabetic. Are you angry with me"? I forgot to explain that they were sugar free and I just wanted her to try a couple to see if they were worth purchasing anymore. The laugh was on both of us. The chocolates were great and I have been stopping there occasionally to bring her a sweet treat ever since. I tried being cheap and told her that a kiss from me is all the sugar she needs. That one still makes me laugh out loud. And I am still buying chocolates.

But the story here is not about chocolates and our love for one another. We failed to communicate. I did not immediately supply all the details and Rene assumed the worst. Now in her defense assuming the worst with me is easy to do. I am not always the brightest bulb in the package and not always planning ahead for gifts. I also assumed that she should have known that I would never be that silly. I also assumed that she should have known the chocolates were sugar free.

I remember that day Like it was yesterday. It all worked out just fine and I was the hero. But what was to be a nice surprise was taking an ugly turn by making assumptions and not communicating. Many relationships fail due to lack of effective and positive communication. I think if we were all to make a point of effectively communicating in our daily interactions with each other, relationships would be more secure. If we effectively communicated our love for one another not only in actions and deeds, but also in words, our relationships would suffer less.

Good communication between people is of great importance in our society today. God’s word gives us great insights into how we should speak to and treat one another, and as Christians we should seek to be a blessing to everyone that we come into contact with. Our words are a reflection of what is in our hearts, so we should constantly be filling our hearts and minds with what is best. The apostle Paul encourages us in this way, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8) we follow God’s word, then our communication and relationships with others will not only improve but we will have favor and be blessed.

Have a great day!

Marty

Valentine Terrors 2/13/16

Good Morning,

My day is beginning with a strong cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee and some work on tonight's message for our Saturday evening church service. It's very cold outside so some of the chores planned for today will have to wait.

I have been writing about Valentines Day throughout this last week. The words of sweetheart, love, sharing, and all the gooey stuff was used and it seems as if the messages all leaned toward couples, those who have someone to share Valentines Day with. This is for those who are not probably going to receive a card,  flowers at the door, a box of chocolates or perfume. To some, Valentines Day represents loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, hurt, loss, and anger. You might feel that your best Valentines days are in the past, because your loved one has gone home to heaven before you. Or you married the worst Valentine ever and see nothing to celebrate.

Well then, you weren't reading all that I wrote this week. God never calls anyone to loneliness or anger. Now before you make plans to shoot me, hear me out. This so called holiday is what YOU MAKE IT TO BE. With the right attitude which is not the "O Whoa Is Me One" you can have a heart experience from the One who wrote the book on love.

Mark 12:30-31New King James Version (NKJV)
³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.  ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Remember your first love is to be God. Make a card or purchase one and tell Him how much you love Him. Say it out loud. "Lord I Love You". Hang it on your refrigerator. There is nothing more uplifting than hearing those three little words especially when you are saying them.

Now to pass on a little sugar to someone else. Now I can hear you all the way from across oceans.
"Hey idiot I don't have anyone to lay a little loving on". Really? You won't see anyone today at all? You can make your world your Valentine. Stop in at an old age home with some nail polish and see which nice old ladies would like their nails done? I bet you get a smile and some new friends. Stop off at the home for veterans with a thank you card and listen to some war stories. I bet you get a smile. Go to the coffee shop and pay for a strangers coffee.  Can't get out???? Then call someone tomorrow and let them know that you are thinking about them. I heard about a co-worker who just brought a pile of chocolates to work and one flower for each of his peers. He made their day! Don't feel like going to a banquet for couples? Baby sit so a young couple can get out and have a little smooch time. Then watch nine months later. Now that one makes me laugh. There's a Valentine that keeps on giving.

You get to choose just how miserable you are on Valentines Day. Choosing misery is like asking "what kind of poison do you prefer". So choose joy, it's like peanut butter. It's easy to spread and hard to resist once it's on that bread.

God bless,

Marty

Check Your Bank Account For Shortages 2/12/16

Good Morning,

Happy Friday to all. I am celebrating this day with a cup of Door County Autumn Spice Coffee. Then it is off to work and hopefully arriving back home at a decent hour.

This week we are heading to Valentines Day on Sunday. Chocolates, flowers, perfume, lingerie, and expensive dinners will be purchased by many people spending oodles of money, celebrating or enhancing relationships.

Relationships are like bank accounts, unless you add to them regularly a bank account doesn't grow. If you constantly take money out and do not replace what you have taken, the account runs dry. In relationships we must always put in more than we take. We need to make regular deposits of kindness, affirming words, sacrifice, sweetness, time, and prayer. Basically we need to deposit love in our relationship accounts.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8New King James Version (NKJV)
⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

How is your love account?

Marty

Let Me Call You Sweetheart! 2/11/16

Good Morning,

The life blood of the morning swirling in my mug is Door County Candy Cane Coffee. It woke me up with a gurgling noise as it boiled it's way into the carafe. As cold as it is this morning it is like medicine for cold tired bones.

 

 

This week as we approach Valentines Day a man made day of flattery and love I thought that we could jump in and banter on a few ideas of mine.

 

I think that one of the greatest gifts anyone can give is to decide to share their lives with someone until death do they part. I think it is an extreme luxury for someone to decide to let you call them "sweetheart". (My sweetheart is pictured above.) This is a sacrifice for someone to basically die to self and become someone's sweetheart and be known as that sweetheart. You lose a little of your identity.

 

Jesus set the example for this. He left heaven to become a man, die on the cross for our transgressions, never expecting anything in return. Wanting a relationship but never expecting it.

 

 Romans 5:7-9New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

As we walk through another  Valentines day let us do for others without expecting anything in return. And if someone let's you truly call them Sweetheart, isn't that a gift in itself?

Have a great day!

Marty




 

 

 







Taking A Breath In The Cold 2/10/16

Good Morning,

The aroma of some Door County Cherry Crème Coffee is calling me to the kitchen. I am in need of something warm to drink.
         

Isaiah 1:18        

 

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool

 Last night we had an elders meeting at church and by our standards it ended relatively early. The meeting was important as we were seeking God's leadership on some choices to be made. When we eventually left for home we discovered that we had been blanketed with a snowfall.

 

When I got home and before I went inside, I took some time to stay outdoors and just look up and breathe. The air was cold and snowy. The snow fell on my face and refreshed me. I let it melt as I looked up and the water ran down the sides of my face. I was pondering the discussions of the night, as well as the restlessness I have been feeling in my heart. I am still not sure what that is all about.

 

The snow and the fresh air reminded me that our whole meeting was held only because of God's gift to us of Jesus Christ and his grace to pardon our sins. The snow felt so good on my face. I went in to the house still not knowing why I am so restless but it did not matter as much, when I thought about God's grace and how he washes away our sins through Jesus. In due time He will enlighten me as to what He is doing and how it matters to me. So I must wait patiently.

 

Take time to breathe and wait on God.

 

Marty

When You Have To Let Go. 2/9/2016

Good Morning,

A big hello to the world today. I wish all of us could meet and have a cup of Door County Raspberry Butter Crunch Coffee and some time reading a Bible. I'll bet our differences would be less in an hour.

Today, members of my church family are saying so long to two of their family members who enlisted in our military. One leaves a wife, parents, and siblings the other leaves his parents and siblings. They have received a call to protect our country. I am honored to know them.

So this morning the families will all be at the airport to say farewell for now, and begin anxiously waiting for their return. There will be hugs, kisses and I am assuming some wet eyes. But eventually that will stop and they will have to let go, wave to the plane and go home.

So today I am in prayer for all of them as they navigate a change in life. But I know this family and long before I finish praying for them they will have turned this over to God. They will call on Him for comfort. They know where to go and will head there without delay.

1 Peter 5:7New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

 

There comes a day when we all have to let go of someone for a long time or a short time. God knows what you are going through. Cast that care upon Him. Let Him provide you comfort through prayer and time in His word. Now a little bit of advice, when you see others going through these times of change, pray for them, be kind and give words of encouragement. It's the right thing to do!

 

Have a great day. Share something good with someone!

 

Marty

Why Am I Still Here? 2/8/2016

Good Morning,

I had a very nice weekend and I hated to see it end. So with my cup of Door County Autumn Spice Coffee I salute the last three days.

I was asked a question this weekend. and to be honest I know the answer to the question because of something I read by Reverend Billy Graham. But this is also a question I asked myself many years ago. So I thought it best to print the answer that Reverend Graham penned so eloquently.

Why Does God Keep Us Here?

By Billy Graham
"Why doesn’t God take us to heaven the moment we commit our lives to Christ? After all, since heaven is our ultimate destination, wouldn’t it be better if God took us there immediately and spared us all the problems and heartaches of this life? Then we’d never again have to experience worry or sorrow or suffering, and all the burdens and temptations that trouble us now would vanish.
The reason is simple: God still has work for us to do right here. Heaven is our goal, but until that final moment when He takes us home to Himself, God has a purpose in keeping us here. Earth isn’t just heaven’s waiting room, where we sit around doing nothing until it’s finally time for us to depart. Earth is the stage on which the drama of the ages is being played out – the drama of Christ’s victory over sin and death and hell and Satan. And no matter who we are, we have a God-given role to play in that divine drama.
What is this role God has for us? Why does He keep us here?
The Bible gives us the answer: As long as we are on this earth, God’s purpose is for us to bring honor and glory to Him by the way we live. The Bible says God “chose us in him [Christ] before the creation of the world … in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:4, 12). Jesus told His disciples, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). Is your goal to bring glory to God in everything you do?
But this doesn’t fully answer our original question: What is God’s reason for keeping us here?
To answer this, imagine what our world would be like if God did take us to heaven when we first believed. Without anyone left to demonstrate Christ’s compassion and righteousness, what kind of world would it be? Without anyone left to tell others about God’s love, how would anyone ever hear about Christ or put their trust in Him? The answer is obvious: Our world would be condemned to live in perpetual spiritual darkness, forever bound by fear and hopelessness and evil.
Why does God keep us here? For one reason: to tell the world the Good News of Christ. The Bible says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus’ command to His disciples has never been revoked: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
Does this mean we are all supposed to be preachers or evangelists or missionaries? No – although some are. But it does mean we are all called to be witnesses for Christ, bringing His love and transforming power to a broken and confused world." Billy Graham

I found this answer to be the best. Those who have professed Jesus as Lord and Savior have a home in heaven and will go there some day. We must be content in God's timing to call us home. Until then, we need to keep busy performing His will. What is God's will? The verse below as well as many others proclaims God's perfect will.

John 6:40   
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

We all long for home, but not just yet. Live life to the fullest and work to complete the perfect will of God.

Have a great day,

Marty

Breakfast With A Friend 2/7/2016

Good Morning,

I am finding it hard to wake up and get going today for some reason. My cup of Door County Candy Cane Coffee needs to work a little overtime to jump start my day.

I will be leaving shortly to have breakfast with a long time friend. Just two old guys at a cholesterol emporium catching up on things, planning an outing with our wives, when we can celebrate his wife's recovery from some upcoming surgeries on a very sore leg. I know one thing for sure, we won't be going to eat chicken wings. ( Inside joke)

My wife likes to say that the two of us remind her of a couple of movie actors from long ago.

I hate to admit it but, we actually do act like those two comedians pretty well. Here's the point, this breakfast will be more than two old dudes shortening their lives with bacon and eggs. We will have prayer, and then talk about our lives, holding each other accountable for spiritual growth. In ministry times my friend is my right hand man. In fun times he is there to make things even more amusing and fun. In hard times he is there before I can turn around.  I said there would only be the two of us at breakfast. I guess I forgot to mention our third party.

Matthew 18:20New Living Translation (NLT)
²⁰ For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

I think that verse says it all. For my other friends let's see from the picture and description if you can figure out who I am having breakfast with! The rest of you call a good friend, have breakfast or coffee together, hold each other accountable for behavior and spiritual growth. God will join you.

God bless,

Marty