Labor Day

11He has made everything appropriate in its time He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; – Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

I am sooooo excited!!!! I am exciting because it is Labor Day. That means three things: one my anniversary is coming up (yeah me), two I get a three day weekend because the schools will be closed on Monday (being that it is a federal holiday and all and , three the National football League has returned (I was becoming sooo tired of baseball). I also loved that the temperature changes and I can were sweaters and I do not have to use the heat or air condition to keep my house cool (laugh all you want but that saves me a lot of money. I decided to look up Labor day and I found out some information.

• 
  Labor Day is celebrated all over the world. It came from the diligent work of the labor union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers.
• The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day, while some celebrate on the first Monday of September.
• Labour Day got its start in the theory of the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. There were no Labor Laws at the time, so it was very easy for people to be taken advantage of.
• The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City.

Not that is amazing, that Labor Day was set up so that people could have balance between home and work. It was also created to celebrate the work that is done by workers that typically go unappreciated. Now, if we really think about it, how many us follow the path of Eight-hour day movement, (eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest). I know that I do not. I know that I typically work a ten to twelve hour day, maybe 6 six for miscellaneous and 6 hours for sleep if I am lucky. I have discovered that I spend some much time in work. I do not know if you are like this too. Let me clarify…when I say work I am not just talking about my primary 9 to 5 job.

Below is a text written by Solomon. He was one of the wisest men in the entire world. He states that there is a time and a season for everything (Time to laugh, time to cry, time to work time to sleep and so on). God wants us to be a people of balance (8, 8, 8) not me (12, 6, 6). Of course, there will always be seasons where we will be more or less busy however, we should always return to balance. So let me ask you, how balanced is your life? What things take up the most time in your life? Remember Labor Day was create to remind us about balance, so when you are home on Monday doing what you do, think about how balanced your life truly is?


Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-- 2A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. 5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. 9What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. 11He has made everything appropriate in its time He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; 13moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor--it is the gift of God.


Questions: On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 low and 10 high), how balanced is your life, explain? How does one maintain balance between home, work, and social? Why do you think it is so vital to have a balanced life?

Breake Lights

5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

–Genesis 15:5-6

Since the birth of LJ (Little Jason) my driving has changed a little bit. I do not drive as fast as I use to and I am less likely to turn on yellow lights, and I have become a stickler for going no more than 10 miles over the posted speed limit. With all those changes I still have a bad habit when driving. It is Brake lights. I see brake lights from the car in front of me and usually I always wait to the last minute to put the brakes on my car. Needless to say, this causes some intense moments of fellowship between the wife and I. Her thoughts are don’t ya see all the 4 or 5 cars in front of you putting on their brakes. This is a sign that maybe you should put on your brakes. My response is….”I have plenty of time. Can you please let me drive”.
Here are some facts about rear or brake lights:
Ø They must be red…you know how some cars front lights are different colors (yellow, white, neon, green, etc…) They are this color because red is an uniform color for stop in whatever country you are in.
Ø The intensity of the brake lights is the same in every car. So, when someone steps on their brakes whether you are driving an escalade or a pinto, the brightness of the light is the same. This also helps alarm the driver behind you.

As I think about Brake Lights…. I must admit that my wife is correct. I do need to take heed to the brake lights of the 5 or 6 cars in front of me that have put on their brakes and not just react to the car in front of me putting on their brakes and becoming upset (like I usually do BUT maybe that is just me). I think we do not recognize the other 5 or 6 cars putting on their brake lights because at times we may be a little too engrossed in our world and fail to see what is going on around us.

Below is the story of Cain and Abel (most of us know this story and have heard it many of times). Something to think about…God came to him personally and gave him a warning (brakes lights so to speak). Cain did not take heed and ended up killing his brother on purpose. I want you to think about your life, is there anything where you see brake lights (warnings) coming up for. No one wants to get in an accident; neither does God want you to get into any accidents…. Are you slowing down appropriately for the brake lights or are you being like me and slamming on the brakes at the last minute hoping to avoid an accident?

Genesis 4:1-9

1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Questions: Do you remember a time when you had to slam on your brakes or turn off the side of the road due to the person in front of you, what happen? How did you feel when you about that incident, was it their fault of your fault? Do you think that there are areas of your life where you see brake lights and may need to change, explain?

The Lost Remote

8"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9"When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!'
–Luke 15:1-9

On Sunday, I had some good friends of mine to come over. We had not talked in a while, so we decided to have dinner together and to watch a movie. Being the cheap miser that I am, I looked for a free on demand movie on cable (I have Verizon FIOS). I found a movie….it was Not Easily Broken. It is an okay movie but not the point of this devo. To watch an On Demand movie, you have to use your remote to find it. I could not find my remote….I did not remember where I placed it. I started to look all over the house for this remote. I even requested assistance from my friends. I was reminded that I had an extra remote upstairs….so I went and got that remote and used it for the time being. While watching the movie I kept wondering where the remote is and periodically I would walk and look in various places for this remote. My efforts were in vain.

After the movie, my wife and her girlfriend went out to the store…I continued to look for the remote. I moved furniture this time and even started to look for my flashlight. Still I was unable to find the remote. I thought if I stop thinking about the remote then I could find it BUT I could not even stop thinking about it. I know this is slightly obsessive compulsive.

After a couple of hours, I needed to get ready for work on Monday. I went upstairs to unload our laundry and place my clothes up and iron my outfits for the week. At the bottom of the laundry basket was…..you guessed it my remote. I was soooo excited I showed my wife. I called my friend. I swelled up with pride as if I just won the lottery. I felt good about that for hours. I slept sooo well and felt sooo accomplished.

This adventure of mine made me think about the parable of the women and the lost coin. Here is a woman with 10 coins and she lost one. She lights a lamp, spending a lot of oil so that she can have a better chance to find the coin. In addition, she cleans the house to see if the coin could be covered by dirt or in some little corner. Don’t ya think the time and the effort that she is putting into this is worth more than the coin. She ultimately finds the coin and throws a huge party so to speak celebrating its discovery. Do you think that maybe she was wasting her time?

God views each of us as that lost coin. Something very valuable…worth finding at all costs. He died of the cross for you. He does not think it is a waste of time to do whatever it takes to find us. The next time you are scrambling over your house looking for that one misplaced thing, tearing up your house and not thinking straight, think about how God loves and what he did to find you.


Luke 15:1-10 1Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." 3So He told them this parable, saying, 4"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9"When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' 10"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."


Questions: Do you remember a time when you lost something and search all over for, what was the item? How did you feel when you found the item, was it worth all the time and effort to find it? Do you think that God will ever give up on trying to find you, explain?

Black Holes are a Dangerous Thing

36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself"

Matthew 22:36-39

As many of you know, I love cartoons, all cartoons. Yesterday as I was flipping through the channels, I stumbled on the cartoon “Futurama”. I decided to watch it for a while. The episode was about saving this parasite that was near a Black Hole. It made me think about what a Black Hole is. I decided to look up Black Hole and this is what I found out:

A black hole is a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, including light, can escape its pull. The black hole has a one-way surface, called an event horizon, into which objects can fall, but out of which nothing can come. It is called "black" because it absorbs all the light that hits it, reflecting nothing, just like a perfect blackbody in thermodynamics. Quantum analysis of black holes shows them to possess a temperature.

I was like WOW…. Nothing can escape from a black hole not even light. It absorbs everything that hits it and turns it into nothing. I mean that is so powerful….nothing can escape it. It made me think about relationship that I have with people. Do you have friends who seem to dominate your time and are always needy? Could they be a possible Black Hole in your life? Could you possibly be a Black Hole by monopolizing someone else’s time with your concerns?

I thought about my life and how at times I could be selfish and so self absorbed with my self that I seem to forget about others. I do not do it purposefully but I do it none the less. God’s greatest commandment was to love him with everything you have and the second one was to love your neighbor as your self. God felt if you could do those two things then everything else would take care of itself. We should always be aware of others but not to the point where you are being taken advantage of. There is a healthy balance between both points. So….the question for today is Are you being sucked in to someone’s Black Hole or are you being a black Hole? Try to let other shine…remember even light can’t escape from a Black Hole!

Phillippian 2:1-8

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!

Questions: Do you have any people in your life that could be categorized as Black Holes? Are you being a Black Hole in someone’s life by absorbing all their time and energy without giving back? How would you escape from being in a black hole (unhealthy relationship) with someone else?

Coin Collecting

April 7, 2009: Coin Collecting:

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 3:13 &14

Guys you may not know this about me….but I love to collect coins. I have collecting proof series of coins since 1976 (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarter, half dollar and dollar) oops let me tell you what a proof series is…proof series are newly minted, they are also Un-circulated (which means a coin has not had any wear, such as the wear a coin might experience when it is used in commerce. Handling a coin, as well as improperly storing a coin, can result in wear on the surface of the coin. This wear, even if very minor, will cause a coin to no longer grade uncirculated)., now the difference in an uncirculated coin and a proof coin is the way it is made that causes a difference in appearance and qualifies it as a "proof". To understand this, let's look at how coins are made. Coins are produced when two dies strike a blank piece of metal with tremendous force. One die is engraved with the front (obverse) design for the coin. The other die has the back (reverse) coin design on it. A proof coin is made with a specially polished and treated die! By treating the die in a special way, the coins it produces have a different appearance. Modern technology allows the high points on the coin design to be acid treated (on the die). Needless to say, proof coins are rare and a little more expensive than regular coins you will find at the store.

Usually when I get coins, I place them in a collectors set and admire them. The coins usually stand by themselves as something to look at and as a reminder. It is big on my ego to have a coin collection and to look at it makes me swell in pride. I want everyone to think about the “coins” you have on your cabinet. The things that make you swell in pride. Something that makes you think that you have arrived. Funny things about coin collecting… they are always coming out with a new coin or some older coin that is the new “must have”, so in essence it never really ends. I am saying that all of all have done things “good coins” that we can hang with pride and show everyone but there is still many more coins to collect. The passage below take about a guy who for all intensive purposes has arrived but he understands that there is sooo much more that needs to be done. My question for you today is have you kinda got complacent with your “coin collecting”. Is it time for you to update your coins? There are so many “uncirculated and proof coins” out there to be had.

Philippians 3:1-14

1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Questions: What are some things that you do very well (good coins)? Are there some things that you need to do or start on that you have been procrastinating (uncirculated/proof coins)? Why do you think that people do not go after “rare coins” (new opportunities) in their life?

Wheelbarrows and Sawdust

Wheel Barrows and Saw Dust?

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Rom 12:2

This the story for this devo is adapted from the daily strength website at www.rbc.org. I want to give credit where credit is due.

I work in a school system as many of you already know. We are getting ready for the big test (MSA). We raise and fall on this test. If we do not do well we could be labeled as a “failing” school. So we do a lot of pre tests to determine what are the children’s strengthens and weaknesses. We observe a lot of teachers, in order to make sure that they are doing the correct things in their classroom. (pacing, hands on instruction, academic rigor, etc..). We do all these things because we are told what gets monitored gets done. If you are not monitoring something then it is likely to fall through the cracks. I read this story today….

Os Guinness tells a great story about a Russian factory worker in the days when Khrushchev was the prime minister. Because of the enormous economic strain in those days, employees would steal tools and just about anything else they could get their hands on. To stop the thefts, a KGB officer was placed at every factory gate where each worker was carefully searched for contraband. Petrov, a long-time laborer, pushed a wheelbarrow loaded with two large sacks of sawdust out the factory doors every day. Each day the guard searched through the sacks of sawdust but consistently found nothing. Weeks into this routine the frustrated guard finally said, “Hey, Petrov, I promise not to tell anybody. I can’t get what’s going on here. I don’t know why you need all this sawdust. What are you stealing?” Petrov grinned and whispered, “Wheelbarrows.”

We as Christians can easily fall into this trap. We monitor soooo many things that we do. We are always thinking about our ideas, thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. I believe that these are great things to monitor but a lot of those things can be thought of as saw dust. The main thing that we need to check is our hearts. Let me ask you, how is your heart. How is your wheelbarrow that contains your ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes? Let’s not get distracted by our saw dust.

Matthew 15:1-10
1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" 3Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8" 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "

Questions:

(1) What small areas of sin in your life (saw dust) are causing you to miss the big areas of sin (wheelbarrow) in your life?

(2)Why is it sooo easy to become ritualistic in your walk with Christ?

(3)Describe the state of your heart with Christ.

Are You in a Rut?

Are you in a Rut?

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. -2 Corinthians 4:16

Do you feel like you are in a rut? Do you feel as though you are not hearing from God? Are you frustrated in your service and/or spiritual growth at your present church? Do you feel like you have done things to fix it but just to return to the same position again? Have you thought about fasting?

Biblical fasting is a spiritual discipline which was encouraged by Jesus, Himself, while He was on earth. When questioned as to why the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist fasted while Jesus disciples did not, Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast”. Jesus was indicating that fasting would become a necessity when, the bridegroom (Jesus) was taken away. While Jesus, who was God manifested in human form, was still on earth, His followers enjoyed a close fellowship and friendship with Him. Jesus bestowed power and authority on them to the extent that they had limited power to preach, heal the sick, and cast out devils. Similarly, when Jesus sent them out to minister to the populace, He instructed them to take few provisions. “Then Jesus asked them, ‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’ ‘Nothing,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one’”. Jesus was teaching that after His departure, the entire dynamic would change and the disciples would need a different type of preparation and provision. Fasting was to be a vital part of this new preparation. The new covenant is based on the truth that we have received everything in Christ, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ”

I know when you think of fasting you always think of food. It does not always have to be food. I knew a person who fasted television. I knew a person who fasted the radio. During the times when he was supposed to be doing those things, he spent that time in prayer. That is the key….when we are fasting we must understand that time discipling ourselves should be focused on God. A lot of times we discipline ourselves but do not focus on God. Do you want to get out of your rut, maybe fasting may be an option? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Let’s not go insane.

Matthew 9:14-17
14Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16"But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17"Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

Matthew 6:16-18
16"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Questions:

(1) Do you feel like you are in a rut in your spiritual life?

(2) Describe a time you fasted, was in beneficial. If you were to fast, what would you give up to focus more on Christ?

(3) How would you focus more on Christ?