Where do you go when the strom hits?

So here I am this morning sitting in my living room enjoying a nice cup of coffee and spending some time with Jesus. Out of nowhere I see lightning through the sliding glass doors. It's December 27th! Your'e not supposed to see lightning in December when you live in Michigan. And then the thunder started... it was shaking the house. Wow... what a strom and sure enough the rain followed.

I was was being totally disracted from my Bible reading thinking about how odd it was to see such a huge thunder storm this time of year. My dog came up to me... he just stared at me like.. "HELP." I noticed he was physically shaking and then I remembered that he freaks out over thunder. He's a big pit bull but he was acting like a scared litte girl. He laid his head on my lap and I began to pet him and tell him everything was going to be Ok.

Where do you go when you are freaked out? When an unexpected storm hits your world? You know what I'm talking about... those times when a realtionship goes bad, a job is lost do to downsizing, or your just not sure what decision to make.

I thanked the Lord this morning that I can always go to him. My dog may have been scared because of the storm. But he was smart enough to know who to go to when the strom hits. I pray I will always be smart enough to run to Jesus when the storms of life come my way. He is my refuge, my place of shelter and the shield around my life. It's in those times that I run to him when it seems like all hell has broke loose that he calmly and confidently tells me all is going to be OK.

His gentle words and the touch of His Spirit bring peace to my troubled soul.

May you hear His Spirit speak to you this morning. Is. 3:10 says, "Tell the godly all will be well with them..."

The storms of life will come... and at times when you least expect them. Just remember who to run to.

Blessings,

Kevin

Most Important Of All

I'm reading a great little book by Francis Fangipane and read a quote that has stuck in my mind for some time now.

"We are called to abide in Him not visit with Him."

Have you ever heard or read something that just sticks with you for a while? We'll that what has happened to me. Oh how I want to do more than visit with the Lord in the morning hours of my quiet times.... I want to learn how to abide IN HIM all day long. I cherish those times in the early morning when it is just me and Jesus... not interruptions other than my mind that just wanders too much at times. I think of the words from the book of Psalms where it says, My heart has heard you say, Come and talk with me. And my heart responds, Lord I'm coming. I beleive in the immeasurable value and spiritual discipline of those daily times in the Word and prayer... yet my heart yearns to abide in Him all day long, not just those moments. And such a relationship is available to us all.

Do you know that the Lord delights in You? Sings songs over you? Has so many good thoughts about you that they can't even be counted. He cares about every detail of your life... and mine too.

Holy Spirit teach me how to abide in you... to remain in you... involving you in every detail of my life.... all day long!

As I was thinking along these lines I was reminded of 1Peter 4:7-9 .... a real mind blower. The world as we now know it is coming to an end... that being the situation the Holy Spirit is telling us there are a couple things that really need to be top priority in our lives.

1. Be diligent and earnest in your prayers - this is all about that quiet time and learning to abide in His presence all day long. For the essence of prayer is relationship with God. Out of that relationship will naturally come intercession and other forms of prayer

But then we are taught that

2. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL - deeply love others. Wow... did you catch that? Most imporant of all? What could be more important than being diligent in your prayers? The Holy Spirit teaches us - LOVING OTHERS DEEPLY!

I have been challenged this Christmas season to prepare myself for a new dimension in 2009. To prioritize like I have never done so before - my prayer life and my love walk... I want to be closer to the Lord, to be more diligent and have more heart in my prayers as well as to love people deeply like I have never done so before.

Holy Spirit help us today to listen to your voice and hear the direction you are giving us as it relates to the priorities in our lives. Teach us how to pray as we should... and teach us how to love people they way you do - DEEPLY!

Well... there are my thoughts for the day... it seemed kind of like ramblings at times, but I pray the Lord will speak from His word into your life today!

Blessings,

Kev

The People I'm Thankful For

I love this time of year... Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Years ago Stan Hargis taught me a habit that I cherish. Every Thanksgiving he would contact a bunch of people that he was grateful for and let them know how much he appreciated them.

Every year around this time of year I begin to think about all the people I'm grateful for. There are many things I'm thankful for: Good health, a house, a couple cars, investment properties, my mountain bike, a hot Carmel cider from Beaners, the food I just ate... but nothing compares to the PEOPLE that I'm grateful for.

I'm so grateful for Pastor Dave. He has been my friend and mentor for nearly 30 years now. Wow... where would I be today if it were not for him investing his life in me? He has taught me so much over the years through anointed preaching... but his life has taught me even more. He has taught me to be a man of integrity, to be a person of prayer, to be outrageously generous, to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, to lead, motivate and inspire others, and the list goes on and on. In practical and spiritual matters he has helped me become the man that I am today. He is my mentor, my boss, my friend, and my spiritual dad.

I'm so grateful for my Dad! Over the years I have seen many tears from students and adults who never had a dad or who had one but they were abusive. I thank God for my Dad. His example taught me to prioritize my time in the Word every day. I'll always remember Dad and his bowl of Wheaties every morning. My Dad is one of the most helpful people on the planet. He has helped me in countless projects that I couldn't accomplish on my own. He is multi talented and can fix anything. His servants heart inspires me to bless others the way he has blessed me so many times.

Then there's mom... a constant source of encouragement. I would be unable to count the amount of cards and letters she has given me over the years. They always seem to come at just the right time and they say just the right words that I need to be encouraged. My mom is a prayer warrior... I can feel her prayers and thank God for the many hours she prays for me and the rest of our family. I was praying this morning when my phone made a sound letting me know I had received a text message. Sure enough it was from mom. She just wanted to let me know she was praying for me today. I have received a countless number of those kind of messages and they are like a breath of fresh air to me. I thank God for my moms servant heart... not only does she flood my life with affirmation, encouragement, and surprise gifts she also cleans my house, irons all my clothes every time Renee and I go out of town! It's unbelievable how she blesses us. Her smile refreshes me and blesses me so very much. I know that I am the encourager I am today because of the way she is constantly encouraging me.

And of course Renee... my wonderful wife of 24 years! I thank God for Renee, she is always there for me. She sees me when I'm at my best and when I'm at my worst and she loves me just the same! Renee helps me so very much... I'm amazed at how hard she works to help me, she is such a hard worker. I appreciate so much her servants heart, her smile that I just adore, her discernment, the fact that she is such a person of integrity, and her tender heart toward the Lord is just beautiful to me. I'm so very grateful for the day she walked into Mount Hope Church and eventually my life. What would I do without a wife that encourages me, believes in me? Oh, how blessed I am to have such a godly, supportive, wise, encouraging, and flat out hot wife.

Now... my times getting away from me and there are so many more people I have on my heart right now that I'm grateful for. But before I have to leave this computer let me mention one more. One more that is ever so dear to me: Sarah Kessler... my little girl. Although she is all grown up and married (to a wonderful young man - John Kessler, who I'm also very grateful for) she will always be my little girl. I'm so grateful for this precious little girl... I almost come to tears just thinking about how much I value and treasure her. Sarah is truly a gift from the Lord to my life. She encourages me, blesses my life... all I have to do is see her smile and it's like a charge of energy to my life. She is and always has been a source of absolute joy to my life. I treasure the special Daddy Daughter relationship we have and I'm so very grateful that she lives nearby I can't imagine life any other way. And I'm so grateful for the beautiful, godly woman and mother she has become. It so blesses me to see her be such a wonderful mom to Tanner (who I absolutely love!) She is such a good mom... always smiling and encouraging Tanner.

Well, I think I'm going to get in my car and drive over to Sarah and Johns right now. I will be telling them, and Renee how very much I love and appreciate them.

What or better said... "WHO" are you grateful for? Will you take time today to tell them?

Off for some time with the people I'm most grateful for... my family!

Kevin

New Mercies Every Day

I'm enjoying a wonderful cup of hot coffee on this beautiful Monday morning. There's nothing quite like a fresh cup of coffee on a cool fall day.

Gods word tells us the the Lords mercies are new, fresh with every morning. Praise God. Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3 - that even after all he had been through, and he had been through a lot, he could still dare to hope! What powerful words... still dare to HOPE! He had watched the city that he loved be completely destroyed, watched as people were slaughtered ruthlessly, had watched such starvation that mothers were eating their own babies just to survive. Ug! Yet he could still dare to hold onto hope. How?

He would think about the Lords fresh new mercy that comes with every new day! Have you ever walked past a coffee pot at work that has been on all day long and has that horrible smell of burnt coffee? Yuk. It's not fresh and smells horrible. What started out with such great smell and flavor over time gets old, it stinks, and tastes awful.

As I drink a fresh cup of coffee this morning, I'm reminded that the mercy of the Lord is fresh and new with every day. It doesn't get old, and no longer any good to me... no just the opposite - the mercy of the Lord is fresh and it's aroma fills my life with hope as I enter yet another wonderful day that the Lord has made.

Let me encourage you today... yesterday is gone, whatever took place is what it is... but it is in the past. Your life does not need to be ruled by your past, because there is fresh mercy for you today. May you be filled with hope today as you realize that:

1. Your biggest and brightest days are your days yet to come!
2. Life is best lived out of your imagination not your memory!
3. The Lord is crazy in love with you!
4. Before the foundation of the world the Lord chose you as the focus of his love!
5. With every day come new and bigger opportunities!
6. You are a masterpiece in the making!
7. The Lord has something significant for you to do... plans and destiny for your life.

Lord, I thank you this morning for your rich, fresh mercy. This cup of coffee sitting next to me that I've been sipping as I write down some thoughts this morning remind me of your fresh rich mercy that is brand new for me today. I love you and thank you today. May my life put a smile on your face today as the thought of your fresh mercy puts a smile on my face.

I'm going for another fresh cup of coffee.... have a great day!
Kev

Repair The Leak

This morning I was walking up in the balcony of the church... praying and with my eyes of faith seeing both the main floor and the balcony filled every Sunday. I could see chairs set up along the back walls for extra seating every week. Young people giving up their seat for others and sitting on the floor down front. I could see Acts 13:44 becoming reality... the day that almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. The I could see Ps.64:9 taking place... everyone in the city and soul zone was talking about what God was doing.

Then I looked up at the ceiling and saw a water stain where there is an obvious leak. And I had this thought - "We must repair the leak!" My great time of prayer seemed to be interrupted by this nasty stain. I can get so easily distracted at times when I'm praying...

Of course practically the leak in our roof must be repaired. Pastor Dave expects excellence in every area of Mount Hope Church and that certainly includes our facility. Who wants to look at an ugly ceiling stain? It will be fixed. But that little leak in our roof began a thought in my mind about other "leaks" in peoples lives, about other "leaks" in the church, and a leaders responsibility in it all.

If you think about it people leak things like:
1. Passion. One might start out in a relationship with Jesus Christ with a great amount of passion. Or begin an exciting ministry with a great amount of enthusiasm and passion. But over time passion can leak right out of a person. A persons passsion to read the Word and pray begins to leak and gets replaced by a sense of obligation. A persons passion to serve others and do the work of the ministry leaks and gets replaced by a sense of duty. Passion in a marriage can leak too and be replaced with boredom.

Personally, why not take some time to fill up your "passion" tank today. You can start by thanking the Lord for all He is and all He is doing in your life. Take time to look at all the good that is going on around you and thank the Lord for it. Remember, your life is pulled in the direction of your most dominant thought. So if you are looking at the good and thanking the Lord for it, your life will be heading in that direction. As leaders, we reproduce what we are, not what we know. If we are running around half empty when it comes to passion, that is what we will reproduce.

Now as a leader make sure you are taking the time first to keep your passion tank filled, and secondly, fill the tanks of others. Your staff and team are your greatest asset and they all leak passion too. Fill them with passion, be a master motivator, flood them with appreciation, and help them to see the future with you. If you don't watch the passion level of those around you, you may very well find yourself getting to your goal, but being all by yourself once you get there.

2. People also leak vision. I heard Bill Hybels say a CD once... "people leak vision." And it's true. As a leader keep the vision fresh in your mind and heart. I like to keep a glass board right in front of my desk and on that board I write down the vision, draw the vision... put pictures that inspire vision in me. I want the vision before me. I pray the vision, talk about the vision and I also need to impart the vision. Vision will leak right out of your best staff and leaders. It is your role as a leader to keep pouring vision into those around you. Creatively weave the vision into every message you preach. Talk about the vision in your conversations over a cup of coffee.

How is your vision tank doing? What can you do this week to pour vision into those around you?

Well... I'm new to blogging and really have to go. But I pray the Holy Spirit will help you repair the leaks that take place in your own life as well as to be in a constant state of filling up those around you.

Many Blessings,
Kevin