Spiritual Battle For Our Kids 9/19/2016

Good Morning,

I am reaching for my cup of Door County Caramel Apple Coffee and munching on a cold peach for breakfast. It's still too warm outside to break out the oat meal and dried cherries. Soon, very, very soon.

Today I will walk the road of opinion. The Christian Church is struggling to reach the "Millennials, the youngest generation." I am not even sure that the "Millennials" will know what they want or what will reach them. There are many opinions and none are wrong. But here's my shot at it. This generation has all the excitement they need at their finger tips. They no longer have to wait on anything. When I was a young child I always wanted to go to Disney Land. This was in the 60's. Those cards never presented themselves to my life's card game until I was 22 years old. I had to wait. But the excitement was still there. It was awesome. Millennials can arrange a trip within an hour on their phone. They can be there in hours!

I have heard that the kids want a "real church". They want Starbucks and mood music. Nothing wrong with that. But let's give them content. Let's start by going back to the basics that there is a heaven and a hell and what awaits the Saved in Jesus, no internet picture will do justice to. The music in heaven will not be boring. The colors will be better than any paint store pallet can produce. It will be exciting, beyond the imagination.

They want real, then let's tell them real. The REAL Fact is that someone loved them so much that He died on the cross for them. That is a real love, a beautiful love, a love without boundaries. Want to get them excited then tell them the truth about hell. Someone is going there and it could be them. Hey! Want real then tell them what the Bible says about hell. Don't candy coat it. You are doing them an injustice by disguising the truth. Help them to fall in love with the Savior, and then they have HOPE for eternity. When this world let's them down, and it will, they can look forward to something they cannot attain on an IPOD. The greatest revivals took place long before the internet and there have always been deep intellects drinking coffee. The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope of heaven with the Father was good then and is good now. Satan has delivered a message to us through the Millennials to stop what is true and give them feelings instead of Faith with feelings.  He is using our own kids to pollute Hope.

These kids need something and it is Jesus and hope for eternity, not just a feeling to carry them through tomorrow. They want real and we are giving them a white wash, because a few of them said that's what they want.  We are in a battle with Satan for these kids. I believe we win when we speak the truth.

Isaiah 55:10-13New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
¹² You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the  will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

So that's my opinion. They need excitement and Jesus is the Ultimate in Excitement and Hope.

Marty

The Stars, The Moon, And the Sun, Assurances From Heaven 9/18/2016

Good Morning,

What a nice morning to be outside with a cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee. The temperature is cool and it would be a perfect morning to be hunting. I had to take a pass on the hunt today. I have a list of chores to do that require them being done today. From where I sit outside right now I can smell the pork loins I have in the smoker cooking ever so slowly.  This is a great spot to be!
    
Jeremiah 31:35

 

Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name:

I went to bed last night with the light of the moon shining through our windows from the East. It was huge and to say the least, it was a spectacular sight. It was important for me to get up before sunrise and see the moon again while facing West. The moon was further away, but still very bright. It takes about 27 days for the moon to complete it's full orbit around the Earth. But we cannot forget that the Earth is orbiting also. Thus we have night and day. I took a picture with my phone this morning of what I saw. It did my heart good to see the Old Moon in it's orbit. The picture isn't the greatest but it meant a lot to me.

From watching the moon from the East and then seeing it again hours later facing the West surrounded by some fading stars and the sun rising in the East I felt God's hand on the Earth. We take for granted that He put the universe in motion. He created the sun, the moon and the stars. He set the pace for the orbits. Now since we know He did all that we surely can know that He is still in charge and sits on His throne.

You are probably thinking that any guy who stares at the moon before going to bed and then wakes up to see it again has too much time on his hands or is one French Fry short of a Happy Meal. This might be true. When I see the evidence of God's existence and I know can face today, and tomorrow because He lives,  and it can be visibly seen. I know He lives another way too. He lives within my heart. This morning my heart was in tune with what I saw.

Know this dear friends. You are loved. Share something good with someone today and pass on some love. God shared the moon, the stars and a sunrise with me.

Marty

Heroin, Heartbreak And You 9/17/2016

Good Morning,

I started today with a cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee and prayer. Prayer is always a great way to start the day. I am outside in our yard, it is cool and damp. I declined hunting today which hardly ever happens but I have plenty of that coming up.

Last night I made a visit to one of the local county jails. I went to visit a young friend who resides there for now. Crime was the reason this young person is behind bars. But the true culprit who has a hold on this life is the drug heroin. This young lady was a member of our youth group way back when I was still doing youth work. She is I'm her mid twenties now. We lost her at about 17 years of age to the world. Recently she had been missing for months and I truly believe our prayers were answered for her to be found when she was arrested.

My motto is this, "Once a member of the youth group, always a member". So I went to visit her and she was quite surprised to see me. And then she said. "I really am not surprised to see you, although this is very hard and I am ashamed, I am not surprised". The visitation coordinator let our visit run longer than usual, (another answer to prayer). We talked about Jesus, drugs, her kids, a shopping trip we did together in youth group, and hope. I asked her if anyone told her that they loved her today and she replied "no". I told her that Rene and I did and that if she would allow me to come back I would. I will be going back.

This young lady is a shell now, her eyes are distant and she has little trust in anything or anyone. We started with the basics of the love of Jesus and I left her with Scripture to read. We prayed together and I left.

Isaiah 55:10-13New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
¹² You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

But I left a piece of my heart in that jail. I now can only imagine the heartbreak, her parents, children, and siblings are going through. I feel like that empty shell myself today. But I know she has decisions to make and healing is one of those. It's times like these that I too have to go back to basics. Faith is the key component to keeping the ship sailing straight now. I have faith, but I am weak like most. My prayer journal is my visual chart of what is going on in this case and what needs to be done. I am old and need visual aids now. This works for me.

1. Love my neighbor. Done
2. Rely on the Holy Spirit to work where we can't. Done
3. Leave someone with God's Word and know that it is true and will accomplish what it God desires it to. Done
4. Pray, pray, and pray again. Not compete yet, Must be daily.
5. Then continue to do what I can to help. Started, but incomplete.

Drugs have destroyed many families and it seems this heroin thing is really out of control. You might know someone who is struggling with this, or you know a family that is torn apart by situations like this. Believe me, they are hurting more than anyone else can imagine. If you know about someone in this battle it is because God wanted you to know. If He wanted you to know, it is because you are to act. It might be that he just wants you to pray, or send a meal to a family in strife. But if you know about it, God wanted you to know. Let's see how big your heart is.

This plan God laid out for me might be different than the one He lays out for you. But it is a simple place to start.


So start!

Marty

Laughter, Forever Young 9/16/2016

Good Morning,

The old pot is perking up some Door County Maple Coffee today. I was going to wait for this weekend to brew some, but I gave in to myself.

The one thing I have noticed in our home is that Rene still laughs the same way she did when we were much younger. It's that laughter that I truly believe keeps her loving funny commercials with little kids or dogs as the main characters in the advertisements. She laughs and I smile. It is one of the sounds that I would miss if I lost my hearing.

I think healthy laughter can be a common ground that can be used for emotional healing or stress. Now I don't believe it is appropriate to laugh at someone unless they are laughing too. But a good clean joke that causes a few folks to chuckle is more than appropriate. Often times of laughter are frowned upon in some instances and that is a good thing. Some times are just meant to be somber.

But I do recall going out for a bite to eat with a few of my cousins during the wake for our grandfather many years ago. We were to return to the funeral home for the service a little later.  We were all kids and were sitting in a diner away from the wake. It was definitely not a good day for us, but as kids will do we were getting silly in the restaurant and someone and it might have been me laughed so hard that a Coke came right out of their nose. Well, we all cracked up. But for a few minutes it made a bad day a little more bearable. No harm, no foul.

I walk a little at night and on a cool summer evening I can hear kids playing and laughing. It does my soul good to hear the laughter. Don't you think the world would stay a lot younger and be less crabby if we all could enjoy a good, proper laugh? I sure do believe that at times "laughter is the best medicine".

So today, listen and laugh if you can. Don't be so touchy that one of your pratfalls might be funny. Laugh at yourself. My wife does and her laugh still sounds young.

Laughter is a beautiful gift from God. It can be medicine for the soul. If you are in no laughing mood and life has you down, we tend to shut ourselves in. We should do just the opposite. We need to get out there and experience a day and a laugh that might come our way.

 Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
 Proverbs 15:13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but with a heartache comes depression.
 Proverbs 15:15 For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual  feast.

Get out there and if you can, go ahead and make others laugh. it just might save a life.

God bless,

Marty

Gold Medal Winner 9/15/2016

Good Morning,

Time to wake up and smell the roses. Thursday has arrived and I have a full day on the menu. I will start the morning with a hot cup of Door County Frosted Cinnamon Buns Coffee. After some prayer I will head into work.

Hebrews 12:1-2New King James Version (NKJV)

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let me introduce you to my friend Max. We call him John and that is a long story I guess. John is a pastor in Haiti and hosts mission teams in his home throughout the year. John walks just about everywhere he goes. The trip from his home is downhill at a steep grade and when he returns, well ???? The grade is reversed. John runs a school, assists an orphanage and has dreams to do more. The list of what He does with God and all that he does for the church of Jesus and the people of Haiti is too long for me to write.

He always greets you with a smile. He is always the last one to eat. He is a husband and a father. This is a busy man who walks and at times runs for God. The world just witnessed the Summer Olympics and many gifted athletes ran fast, jumped high, swam like fish and lifted a ton of weights. Some received medals for their achievements. In my mind John is a gold medal winner for God. He endures the race each day. He works unto the Lord with passion and long hours. He loves his neighbor. I will bet we all know a God Olympian. Shake their hand today let them know that you are cheering them on.  It might just be what keeps them going today.

God Bless,

Marty

Malt Shops, Doo Wop, And Poodle Skirts 9/14/2016

Good Morning,

I have Door County Autumn Spice Coffee on my tongue, a song in my heart, and a prayer to be said. This is a great way to wake up.

I love listening to old music from the forties through the sixties. I have said many times before that I was born too late. I really would have fit in with malt shops, hot rod cars and girls wearing poodle skirts. I love the old Gospel hymns and find myself surfing Pandora from station to station creating a mix of both genres. Mix in a little Country Western tunes and we have music Xanadu for me.

Last night while driving home from church one of my favorite Oldie Doo Wop tunes came on. In the lyrics a young man is singing about his undying love for some girl. He promises to adore her till the tropic sun goes cold, which implies always and forever.

I was pondering these lyrics and thought about God's love for us. He loved us before we were born and will love us through eternity. The sun that beats down on a hot day and never seems to cool off will long be cold and God will still love us. The thought of someone loving me so much that He can put up with me for that long shows me what heaven will be like. It is permanent love at all times. This gives me hope that what awaits me is perfect. This thought is backed up by Scripture.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die on the cross that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

I like to take the word world out of this passage and substitute my name. For God so loved Marty or I add the word me. It makes it so much more personal and gives me hope of love and life eternal.

Try it. Add your name. Say it out loud. What a feeling it is!

Love you all!

Marty

Compassion And The Grocery Cart 9/13/2016

Good Morning,

Nothing like waking up to the sound of Door County Raspberry Crunch Coffee perking away in the kitchen. This has the beginning of a great day.

Yesterday I had to stop and do a little grocery shopping at the local food emporium. As luck would have it I ran into a lady I recalled seeing in the store a few years ago. I don't know how I remembered her but I did. I believe it was what I saw her do that helped me to recall her. As before there was a young lady shopping with two little kids. Both kids were acting up a little and you could tell that the young woman was at the end of her rope.

Along comes our other lady who is about 65 years old and she sees the situation and offers to hold the baby and push the other little guy in her cart and assist the mom with her shopping. I have witnessed her doing this before. About 10 other people had passed the young mom without asking if they could help. I actually was thinking about offering some type of help but our hero beat me to it. I doubt the lady would have accepted help form a strange man.  What I saw was compassion at it's best. It wasn't asked for , yet it was offered. The young lady happily accepted the help and as I was leaving the store I saw the family and our hero loading groceries into the car.

We all have been in the situation where we say to someone, "let me know if you need anything". We usually never hear from the person the statement was offered to so we really don't need to show compassion and help. But real compassion is the type that is gut wrenching. For instance, Someone dying on a cross for others. It was never asked for by anyone who benefits from it but it was done anyway.

True compassion is seeing a need and going ahead without anything stopping you from helping.

Luke 10:25-37New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

If we are walking with God's eyes we will see those needing help and we will assist without being asked. This lady had God eyes.

Have a great day! Go shopping.

Marty