the one on July 1st

A lot has happened in the last 4+ months... a lot to be thankful for.

But right now, i just want to thank God for today.

Today i am thankful for...
1. The opportunity to go to church - that is the freedom to go to church
2. God created us for community, and gives us opportunity to fellowship
3. God has united us as one body
4. Our church we have been attending here: New Life Presbyterian. It has been a great body. Good Teaching, Leads to worship, it has been great
5. That our church has child-care, so Soo & i can actually listen to the message and worship God.
6. i am thankful for all those who serve at our church, and accross the world, those who serve the church - those who watch our kids, and serve in other ways too
7. i am thankful for my boy Big Ben Pitchford, who i talked with yesterday- who is one of those serving at his church. i am thankful for his faith, his growing faith, his active faith- that he is involved in his church, serving there, seeking to share Christ at his work, using the money he makes to serve God's Kingdom, and loving his wife and following God


i hope i can get back into this, now that 2012 is half-over...

the one with an old friend

This afternoon was rough. We had a long conversation with our landlord that didn't go over too well.

But God was good to us, and allowed us to connect with an old friend, and it was so encouraging

Today i am thankful for...

1. To be able to see my old friend after 2 years
2. To be able to call this guy friend
3. for his encouaging words & affirmation to me tonight
4. for his faith in Christ & love for others and hope in God
5. God's faithfulness in drawing all nations to Himself (this friend is one of maybe 10 in his people group to believe in Jesus).
6. That God has given him a burden for his people
7. That God has gifted him & equipped him to take the Gospel to his people
8. That God has faithfully provided a girlfriend - from the same people group, also a christian
9. That there are people in this city who really do care for us & love us
10. for our other friend who tried to help us in communicating with our landlord
11. for all those who have been translators for us
12. for my friendship with this other guy also
13. And his faith
14. God's timing
15. that we can trust God even when things don't go as we hope or expect


God is good.
God is faithful.
God is working.
God is worthy.

The one with things i can take for granted

Most of these days as i have been writing things i am thankful for there has been some theme... but today was just a day.
i did get to go out for a while and sit and plan... and i came home to my wife and daughter and had dinner.... and i talked with a friend over skype tonight.

An average day... which still produces a lot to be thankful for

Today i am thankful for...

1. The Greenhouse
     it's the closest we have to Starbucks... my 2nd year here (5 years ago) we went to another city and wondered what it would be like to have a place where we can get drinks, and eat good desserts and chill... we have that place now.
   It was fun today as 4 americans sat in the place and swore and talked about relationships (i thought all foreigners here were Christian, but i don't think these folks were).

2. Hulu
   We watched Parenthood tonight. And yes, sometimes a 45 minute episode takes over 2 hours to watch... but i am so thankful we have hulu. When i came here a few years ago there was nothing- so i bought like all my favorite shows on dvd... i remember way before that coming to East Asia then going back to america and having no idea what people were talking about - b/c they would be quoting lnes from tv shows or commercials... now we can watch it

3. The internet & A VPN
   When i first came to Asia 12 years ago we couldn't do anything online - even send an email with any spiritual content.
How things have changed

4. Skype
   Yes sometimes it is fuzzy. And people can't call me.
   But we are so blessed to have skype to call friends. In fact, our parents can see Halle over the phone.
   It's the one thing BAck to the Future got right.

5. my friend Brent - who i talked to on the phone tonight
   We met in Turkey 11 years ago... later stood in each others weddings, and still friends

6. warm clothes
   It snowed last night... still my flannel pants and my down coat keep me extremely warm

7. daily food
  i give thanks for it every day... i guess i can post about it.

8. An import store
   It is amazing all the stuff we can get here now! Sure, we have to pay $6 for a box of cereal, but so what?

9. our puppy
   We hope we can get her back to the states this time around. Have i listed her yet? We love our puppy

10. my family i can come home to

11. a house helper who comes and washes dishes and helps keep our house clean

12. Thank God for all the little things He takes care of each day and watches over each day. Thank You for all your provide. It is all from your hand. You bless so much.

Thanks God!

the thing about Jan 13

It has been 16 years...
it doesn't seem that long ago.

To be honest i don't want to think about it...

16 years ago was when my sister died due to cancer.
It was MLK weekend. i wasn't even home.
And i remember every detail.
i won't forget.

I don’t think of her often really, but I am thankful for her.

i have pictures of her up... it's kinda like we're just in different places ( i mean i am far from my family & friends and barely see them anyway)... but not really

As I think of Halle growing up and wrote Halle a note yesterday, I wish that Liz was here- that Halle would know her aunt. That Liz could have met her. That they would be able to receive love from one another… it is sad.

i love my sister. She impacted my life. We did give Halle Elizabeth her name as a middle name so she would know her aunt.

It still can be sad... 

But I am thankful for…
1. The years I got to spend with my sister – who loved me dearly
2.     That she is in heaven now, because Jesus loved her and God chose her an she trusted in Jesus
3.     The influence my sister had on me & others because of her faith – especially in midst of trials
4.     The influence my sister had on me & others because of her love & Service & life
5.     The influence my sister’s death had on me & others to live for eternal

I didn’t appreciate my sister very much while she was alive.

She was not perfect, but she was great.

She loved me, cared about me and was patient.

She gave her heart to others and sacrificed for them – especially me.

She had incredible faith in the Lord, wanting to serve her and love others. And especially in the midst of her cancer- she was still thinking of others, she still trusted God.

I am thankful…
6.     God is sovereign over death (and life)
7.     God uses all things to work good
8.     For Heaven, being with God & other loved ones( you know that friends are friends forever if the Lord is the Lord of them)
9.     Everything Liz’s cancer taught my family & I about our relationship with God, prayer, etc
10. That Liz loved me despite how selfish I was, how little I appreciated her, no matter how much I must have hurt her. She loved me.

Well… I hope she can see her niece… and hope she knows how much I love her and appreciate her now… and I look forward to seeing her again.

I really don’t want to think about it too much because it makes me sad… but I want to think of the hope, of her faith – and think she must be enjoying God right now… and that makes me glad.

Thank You lord for Liz, and for the real life she is now enjoying. Amen.

The things i am thankful for Jan 6

Soo's birthday is just a couple days away... i am thankful for her... (i thank God for her everyday)

Today i am thankful for...

1. God brought Soo into my life. She is His perfect provision for me
2. I am God's perfect provision for her. OF all the people in the universe, He chose me to be an instrument in her life. Thanks for the priviledge and blessing to serve & lead my wife
3. God's sovereignty over our marriage
4. All the relationships that didn't work, all the girls who rejected me... so i could marry Soo
5. That God created marriage and designed marriage

The things i am thankful for Jan 4

woke up early today... pretty tired now... but

Today i am thankful for...

1. team dinners
2. good food: have had some good stuff recently
3. God created moms
   thinking of my mom... and my wife as a mom
4. The care & sacrifice of moms (especially my mom, and Soo as a mom)
5. That God cares for us, cares for me

God cares about every detail. There is nothing that goes by Him. There is nothing too small to Him. He cares about everything. No feeling is insignificant. i can count on the Lord.

And He has taken care of me.
And He will take care of me... i can rest easy.

The things i am thankful for on Jan 3

Today was my mom's birthday... didn't get to see her... and since she is in India, and i don't know where, we weren't able to talk either...  but mom i love you! And i am thankful for you.

Today i am thankful for...
1. My mom!
2. The Lord brought my parents together (arranged marriage)
3. The Lord enabled my parents to come to know Him in India
4. The Lord enabled my parents to go to America...
5. That i grew up in America
6. My parents culture & faith & personalities influenced me
7. My parents pointed me to Christ and prayed for me
8. My mom loved & loves me so much, cares so much for me
9. My mom's joy & laughter (And that influenced me too).
10. That my mom played games with me (and my friends) as a kid
11. Opportunity to meet new people
12. Good Steak.


Today is usually a day off, but i heard it was the last day before exams, so i went to campus to meet some students... which was good. i enjoyed my time on campus.
Kinda weird knowing i'll be leaving soon, but felt the need to take these steps of faith and see what would happen.

One student i was very blessed for all the things i have been able to do & experience.

i am blessed... but maybe not why he said.

i am blessed to know God. i am blessed to be saved. i am blessed by God.
And my family is such a great blesssing.
Not because they help me to go places and paid for my schooling and all that... but because they follow the Lord & how they love me...

Mom you were always there for me as a kid.
My friends talk about your lemonade and your doughnuts... and we will always remember you playing parcheesi and charades - esp the time you acted out popeye and got spice in your eye...
You care for us deeply - maybe too much- but we know it is because you love us.
You love God, desire eagerly to grow and know God.
i am thankful for you!

i am also greatly blessed to have a wonderful wife... we were able to go on a lil date tonight... played some ping-pong (Soo played despite being 20 weeks pregnant) and got some wonderful steak... it was amazing.

Parts of today were hard... my back hurt a bit... getting a little anxious about the future... some conflicts... but overall, a good day.
Thank You God!

the one with some thoughts on Exodus 33

I’ve been reading through Exodus and came to chapter 33 and saw something I never noticd before: God tells Moses

"Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your offspring I will give it.' ²I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ³ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."

What? God didn’t go with them? He sent an angel, but He didn’t go with them? I mean, that’s huge right? I guess an angel is pretty powerful and can do some supernatural things – but no God?

Well, this is why you keep on reading… Moses intercedes for the people (and himself) and pleads for God to continue to go with them.

See – receiving God’s provision without His presence is a lesser blessing. Receiving God’s promises without experiencing His presence is not fulfilling.

Am I like that? If God said I’ll give you everything I promised, everything you desire, everything you need, and you will have protection & security & even comfort- but You won’t have me – would I be satisfied? Would that be good enough for me?

Or would I fight? Would I plead? Would I cling to God til HE came with me?

Would I be like Orpah or like Ruth. They both were clinging to Naomi, but then she said go from me and you’ll get what you need. Orpah gave up and went, but Ruth clung.

Do I live for blessings or for God?

Do I desire God’s provision or protection or promises more than I desire His presence?

Often, if life feels comfortable- then I feel comfortable. If I am not suffering want or need, then I am content. I don’t think of myself as a “health, wealth, prosperity” guy… but how much am I hungering for God’s presence?

And if I want God’s presence, do I want all that comes with that? All the complexities of His will, of His grace, of His wrath, of His majesty, of His holiness, of His glory?

God’s presence is greater, is better than His provision, His promises, His protection.

The Gospel is God gave us His Son, so we could experience intimacy with Him. The greatest blessing He has given is His Son reconciling us to Himself. He offers not just eternal life, but eternal life with Him. We receive His promises, come under His protection, know His provision and experience His presence. Let's not settle for anything else

Mook on Confessing sin (or how God is not like a puppy)

You may have heard it said there is nothing God uses more in your sanctification than marriage, and I agree.

It’s not that marriage brings out the worst in you – it just reveals it!

I see all my sin and self-centeredness and selfishness and pride…  and filth and yuck!

And last week? Well, I saw a lot of it!

Soo forgave me and she accepts me, but it was still hard.

I could still see the grief and pain on her face. I still felt distant. I still felt bad, I still felt awful.

Then I was talking to Halle… and I thought, maybe this is why we like babies and puppies so much.

See, a baby may cry for a few minutes in the middle of the night, or may not particulary like how you hold them, but… they don’t really reject you.

And a dog, well they may whine for some food while you’re eating or may dislike a spanking, but they always like you.

Even if you upset a baby or a puppy- they seem to have short memories.

They like cuddling with you. They give little smiles.

And they don’t talk back.

They don’t say “but…” or give you looks to let you know how disappointed they are.

And I began thinking, maybe this is why I like God so much.

I tell Him all my sin, and He forgives me. He embraces me. He doesn’t hold my sin over me. I don’t feel guilt or shame at all.

And while some of those things are true, I think I discovered I may need to take a new look at confessing sin…

1.     God hates sin. He abhors it.

It’s not a mistake, that He just looks over. It’s not something He can just say “What? Don’t worry about it”

I think that is how I usually picture the whole process in my head.

Like the sin doesn’t bother him that much.

2.     Sin grieves God

This goes with the above. Just because I can’t see the grief & disappoinment and sadness, doesn’t mean God isn’t grieved. Eph 4:30 exhorts us: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.

Our sin causes God pain.

3.     God really is gentle with us, gracious with us. He forgives us & accepts us.

And this is not something to take lightly. He knows all our faults and all our sins (Psal 139). And He loves us anyway. He accepts us. He holds no record of wrongs (I Cor 13) and all fear is cast out (I John 4). He doesn’t deal harshly with us.

In the book Prodigal God, Tim Keller makes some observations on the story of the prodigal son. When the Father comes toward the son, he doesn’t say “Ew, you stink. Go wash up and I will give you a big hug.” Nor does he give him a big hug and then say wash up now and take my coat it stinks now too. He embraces him. He wants him to clean up, but not because he is disgusted by him

4.     He really does want repentance

Throughout the Old Testament, God rebukes His people. They offer sacrifices- but they are vain. Jesus rebukes the religious leaders likewise. They worship, but the hearts are far away. Words, even words of confession, are in vain if our hearts and actions aren’t impacted.

We are called to repent
When the women caught adultery is not stoned, Jesus says "Neither do i condemn you" but He also adds "Go, and sin no more."
Jesus lived among the sinners, but He never condoned what they did and certainly did not enable them to sin

5.     God longs to show mercy

Even in all His anger in the Old Testament in Jeremiah and elsewhere, He is looking for opportunities to show mercy and grace and love

6.     All of this is possible because of Jesus.

Though God hates sin, He punishes our sin on Jesus. Though sin grieves Him, He looks at the righteousness of Jesus. And Jesus stands us an advocate for us.
Thru the death of Christ, we are free from all condemnation- all guilt, all shame. Jesus took all our shame, all our guilt upon Him on the Cross! We are accepted, loved.

Jesus is now living in us and sent His Spirit so we can repent and turn to God. Jesus provides the example for us how to live and the Holy spirit is making us more like Christ

And we are shown just how much God longs to show mercy, when the Father sent His Son, and the Son freely gave His life for us

So, while God is gracious, kind- and all I need to do is confess, I am already forgiven. I shouldn’t take my sin so lightly.

I am not just talking to a wall. I am not talking to the air. I am certainly not talking to a puppy. And while Ricky Bobby may pray to baby Jesus- He is not a little baby, He is King of Kings, God Almighty. He is meek & mild, ferocious & wild. He is a gentle thunder. He is the lion & the lamb – a lion-like lamb and a lamb-like lion (as John Piper would say).

We don’t just confess to get things off our chest, and not to feel better about ourselves.

We confess to renew our relationship with God and allow the holy spirit to work in our lives and make us more like Christ and to relish in the mercy & grace & kindness & goodness & love of our Lord.

Lord, be glorified!

The thing about sin & mistakes

We treat mistakes as if it were sin and sin as if it were a mistake

i drop a plate. i drop a catch. i don't know how to answer a question. i fail a test.
These are mistakes. They are not sin.
i forget to do something important. i pay too much for something. i lose a check. i lose track of time.
These are mistakes. It is not sin.

But, these mistakes or other simple things can destroy me.
i begin to think how can anyone like me?
i am worthless.
What God want to do with me?


Sin on the other hand... we tend to rationalize, ignore, make excuses. We compare to others and think we're not that bad. Or we say, oh well, we all sin.

Everyone makes mistakes.

True, everyone sins. And everyone makes mistakes. But our sin is not a mere mistake.

Sin is rebellion against God. Sin is apathy towards the lover of our soul.
God hates sin.
And sin greives the heart of God.

We should be greived by our sin too!

This is not to say we should wallow in guilt & shame.
But it is to say we shouldn't be so nonchalant about our sin.
We should tremble before God and come before Him in humility.
And we need to repent!

i notice sin and i confess. And i think i'm not that bad. Of course God will forgive me.
And we forget the basis of His forgiveness is in the death of His Son.
And we live just as we had.


Do i see sin as against The Holy, Almighty, Only God, Creator of the Universe? Or as an innocent mistake?
Do i see sin as something that needs forgiveness? Or something that needs understanding?
Do i think of sin needs to be repented? Or just part of life?



We need to see sin as sin, as evil, as deserving punishment, as awful.
And then we need to embrace the Gospel. Embrace the good news of God's grace & love & forgiveness.
And recognize our relationship with God is in good standing not because i am somewhat good, but simply the goodness of God and Good News of the Gospel.

the thing about activities

What do you do for fun?

What activities define you?

A couple days ago, Soo & I were going through His Needs, Her Needs the other day and came across a section of listing recreational activities to do together

Soo came up with 11, I came up with 45

I was pretty specific in most instances, though I did combine some.

I went back and listed them in order… then decided to lump some together – and still had 20.

The thing is, most of them were not things I do very often or do at all anymore.

Most of my favorite things are things I used to do- when I was in college, or younger at least.

I mean, I didn’t put down the highschool stuff… but I am getting old

How often do I play basketball anymore? Do I even play catch?

Of course, some things require groups of people – like Ultimate… or even freezetag… and other things you can only do when it is warm or in certain places that have the facilities like golf, driving range, mini-golf, raquetball, ping-pong

These days what do I do for fun?

1.     sit in a coffee shop/bookstore/panera & read (or really any place and read)

2.     watch sports

3.     watch tv shows

4.     watch movies

5.     write

6.     hang out with friends (and talk about babies)

7.     Settlers of Catan

but when I look back, the most enjoyable times were

1.     talking with a small group of people about life & God (maybe at a restaurant or a starbucks)

2.     playing basketball

3.     Late night conversations (maybe at dennys or steak n shake)

4.     discussing theology

5.     Ultimate or Football

6.     Prayer & Praise

7.     Tv shows like Seinfeld, Simpsons, scrubs

8.     Watching sports

9.     Discussing tv shows or movies

10. Playing catch (baseball or football)

11. Ping-pong

12. Watching bad movies & making fun of it

This morning (the day I wrote this) I was playing with Halle and asked her if she would be more like her mom or like her dad.

As I thought about that, I wondered what activities make me stand out? What is my niche

I first thought of the friends episode where Emma says her “first word” and it was a scientific word and it made Ross so happy… then I thought of the other episode when they were talking about how jokes are Chandler’s thing

On friends –it is so easy. Chandler is all about humor & jokes. Ross is all about science & history. Joey is all about his looks (or sex) and having a good time.

Even with real life friends, it can be easy to pick out.

For Soo, she is artistic, and likes shopping and is hospitable & serving and all about food.

I can think of other friends who are all about singing praise or others who are all about theology or all about reading or all about sports.

But what about me?

I’d like to think I’m all about God- but that’s not really true.

Some may think I’m all about missions. I don’t know there either

I used to be a sportsnut – but I’m not quite there anymore (or maybe I am)

What actitvity sticks out? Wasting time? Procrastinating? Eating junk food?

Maybe the better question is: What do I want to stick out? What activities do I want to define me? How do I want to be remembered or known?

How about you?

What is your niche? What activities define you?

How do you want to be known?

And I’m curious what do you think sticks out about me?

And what do you do for fun?

Comments welcome and appreciated

the one with Ricky Gervais

I know since this happened almost 5 days ago now this is old news, but I wanted to share some thoughts on Ricky Gervais.

Gervais hosted the golden globes on Sunday. I would say the few parts I saw were pretty awkward. I guess he is funny… but also… not so much joy… Soo likes him as do many others

I guess I could see how he created the office… by the way wouldn’t it be interesting if he took over for Steve Carrel and became the new boss on the office?

(still i think Kevin is the funniest part of the show, every show)

At the end of the show he said “And I thank God for making me an Athiest”

I saw another quote from him “If only one person believed in God, he’d be called crazy, but since it is popular it is accepted.”

In reply:

Well, of course if only one person believed something the rest of the world would think he is crazy. No one would argue that. People probably thought Rosa Parks was crazy for sitting in the front of the bus. When MLK spoke of his dream, people thought he was crazy. JFK wanting to put a man on the moon was crazy.

People thinking you are crazy, doesn’t make it less true.

If you were the only one to believe there wasn’t a God, people would think you were crazy too… but it is actually quite popular to not believe in God, so… it’s not thought to be that crazy.

It really is crazy though – I admit it.

The Simpsons do an episode where Marge goes to an insane asylum after admitting she prays to God. She talks to someone she can’t see. That is pretty crazy.

And y’know what is even more crazy? That a man would claim to be God. How crazy is that? I mean, if I heard a person say he was God, I would pretty quickly dismiss him… which is what most people did with Jesus.

But even more crazy… that God- the all-powerful, self-sustaining, creator of the universe who has everything – would come down and become a man. Become a baby even… be completely dependent… and have nothing… and then be mocked & humiliated… and die a gruesome death on a cross.

You know, I am amazed every time someone says they believe it. It is quite ridiculous.

And I believe it.

Perhaps I am a fool.

Of course, there are those who die to defend this truth.

Jesus died.

And so did His disciples. Died gruesome deaths.

People were stoned to death, burned to death, put on crosses, executed, jailed, cut in half… horrible things… and it still happens!

People still die.

Jim Elliot went to the Auca Indians in Ecuador… and people warned him he;d be eaten alive by cannibals….

And he did

Was he a fool?

He said “He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”

… I agree.

Ricky Gervais can make fun of anyone he wants to.

He can be bitter towards others.

He can make his movies mocking God, and can mock God in public.

And he can enjoy his millions of dollars.

I hope him the best.

But I do think it is sad.

Because he gives thanks to God for making him an atheist.

But really… in day to day life – who does he give thanks to?

When things go really well- does he just pat himself on the back?

Does he just consider himself lucky and smile.

Doesn’t he want someone to thank?

Hey, that’s no reason to believe in God.

But it is one of the perks.

Believe God because He is true, He is real.

I think the evidence is overwhelming.

Where did we come from if not from a designer?

There has to be a beginning point.

And how does matter become something like human with emotions and feelings and will and love?

Sure, we can’t see God, but we can’t see love, and we believe love exists. We can’t see wind, but we can see the effects of the wind.

And we have Christ… who proved Himself by coming back from the dead. It is far-fetched perhaps… but why were so many willing to die? Would they die for a lie? All of them? Look at how different their lives were after the resurrection.

I believe God is true. Even if I look like a fool.

My priorities

When people make their list of priorities, people often say God is their number 1 priority.

I don’t.

God is not my #1 priority...

because God isn’t something to be prioritized in life

 – He is life.

He is part of every aspect of life.

He is central to every aspect of life

Even to say my relationship with God is my number one priority- what does that mean?

Does that mean your quiet time?

Keep God #1 as in time doesn’t make sense because God should be central to everything you do.

I can’t say the same about my wife or kids. And shouldn’t say that about my ministry.

God ought permeate everything. Walking with God is in everything. Whether I am reading the Bible or watching tv. If I’m sharing my faith or talking with a friend.

God is not a priority, He is everything!

I listed my values earlier.

And thus what are my priorities?

Acknowledging God is in everything, and I walk with Christ moment by moment, I yield on the Spirit to lead me and guide me and I do everything for the glory of God- what are my priorities?

I hope to enjoy God & enjoy life, have fun, grow, etc

What needs to take highest priority in life? Which will yield to the next

In what ways can I most honor & glorify God? In what ways can I love God?

1.     Soo (my wife)

2.     My kids (right now just Halle)

3.     My team or community or church

a.     Co-leader

b.     Guys I’m discipling/coaching/training

c.      Other guys

4.     Spiritual disciplines/spiritual development activities/growing in understanding God’s Word

5.     The believers I minister to

6.     My best friends

7.     My relationship with non-Chirstians

8.     The other aspects of ministry

9.     Personal & Leadership development & growth

10. Physical health

11. My extended family

12. My other friends

Something like that... it can be a lil fluid... 

Oh Christ, be the center of my life

May i practice the presence of God in everything i do.

And may i keep the main things the main thing, prioritize appropriately, follow You, honor others, love well, glorify You.

mook on breakfast (The thing about breakfast)

Dad is so great, he gives us chocolate cake…

 (see this if you don't understand)

I don’t understand breakfast rules.

You can eat waffles, pancakes, muffins, poptarts, cereal, breakfast bars… but cake? Cookies? You’re the worst person in the world.

Jim Gaffigan does this well

The other day I saw cake sitting out, but I knew if I ate a piece, I’d never hear the end of it from my wife… if I waited 3 hours and ate it with lunch, I’d probably be ok….

Still, I love breakfast – it is the best meal of the day!

(Note: I didn’t see most important, though that may also be true).

It is the best, because it is the best tasting. I really should eat breakfast more often.

Some of my favorite all-time meals are breakfast

1.     waffles

2.     doughnuts

3.     bacon

4.     choc-chip pancakes

5.     sweet rolls

6.     biscuits & gravy

7.     cinnamon rolls (Cinnabonn)

8.     cinnamon bread

9.     pancakes & maple syrup

10. pancakes and strawberry syrup

11. bacon cheese egg biscuit

12. scrambled eggs with cheese & bacon

Jim Gaffigan also tells the wonders of bacon quite well.

I love eating breakfast at all times of day. There is nothing more wonderful than eating a waffle in the evening… and I love going to dennys at 3am- it is special!

The question now becomes

How can I eat breakfast to the glory of God?

1.     Do I treasure the breakfast food more or God, the giver of the food more?

2.     Can I give Him thanks, and thank Him genuinely when I eat?

3.     Perhaps I can relish eat bite, and thus remind myself how God is more sweet than this.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and See that the Lord is good.

4.     Maybe I just need to recite verses about food
Your love is better than choice food
Man does not live on bread alone

While God is more important than food, I think He wants us to enjoy food.

Jesus did after all feed the 5,000. And not because He had to, or because it was expected of Him. He wanted to. He wanted to provide a feast.

And in Revelation when it talks of Heaven, it talks of it as being the feast of the bridegroom.

Yes, I can eat breakfast to the glory of God

Yes, Dad is great! Let's sing praises to Him!

the one where God doesn't need your help

God doesn’t need our help.

He didn’t create us because He was lonely.

He’s not sitting up in heaven right now wondering what to do, and just hoping humans will come to the rescue.

He did leave the job of proclaiming the Gospel to the church… but this does not mean He needs us. In fact, we need Him in that process.

When Jesus was betrayed, his disciples took out knives to fight people with swords, and Jesus rebuked them. He could call angels… and let’s face it, He didn’t need the angels either!

So, why are we so persistant in trying to help Jesus out these days?

The Gospel message is not enough… we need to package it to make it more appealing. We need to market Jesus to make Him more attractive.

The Word of God is not enough, people won’t come to Church… unless, we make the seats comfortable and the building look grand. We need entertaining videos and colorful powerpoint slideshows.

Didn’t we see this in the Bible. David wants to make God a great big temple- but He is fine in a tent.

People will never follow God’s Word… unless we can paint pretty pictures for them… we can make clever slogans  ….we can appeal to their fleshly desires…  we make it simple…

We don’t expect people to change, we don’t expect God to work.

Even more so, we see it how we pray. We pray to give God a break, make it easy for Him to answer our prayers. We don’t pray specific, we don’t pray big. And even if we do ask for something, we cover it up with making a “good feeling” just as good as actual healing. We don’t want to corner God.

We’re afraid to ask for actual conversions- because we can’t control that.

Wait, are we only supposed to pray for things we can control?

True, sometimes we’re the answer to our prayers- but not most of the time, and certainly not all the time. If we’re praying in a way that we can answer our prayer requests- are we really praying to God?

We need to pray in a way that only God can answer. We need to pray in a way & act in a way, that if God doesn’t show up- we’re in “SUaR”  ( a whole lot of trouble).

What really got me thinking about this was K-Love. And not in a good way K-Love. I like the music, but I can’t listen to the station anymore. You say the right things with your lips, but your heart is far from God.

Their recent fund-raising(which has been extremely ridiculous before) got to a new low.

DJ 1: “How much money do you think we can raise in the next ½ hr?”

DJ 2: “I think we can get ___ much in” (can’t remember the exact amount)

DJ 1: No. No that’s too much. I know God is big, but he can’t do that much.

DJ 2: Let’s prove DJ 1 wrong. Let’s show him how big God is.

Are you kidding me?

You’re not trusting God- You’re trusting your deceitful, conniving words to work for you.

But don’t we all do something like this?

Instead of praying for someone to come to salvation, we pray for an opportunity.

- sometimes an opportunity is a big deal. In fact, I’d love an opportunity these days, and I am praying for it… but I want to pray bigger. I can make an opportunity, I don’t need God for that. What I do need God for is: boldness, courage… and for Him to work in the person I’m talking with

Instead of giving sacrificially, we make a budget, then give some money… but only while we still have a job.

Or instead of raising support, and trusting God will continue to provide, we raise more than is needed, so we always have a buffer.

And instead of just sharing the Gospel or challenging our brother, and letting God work thru that… we wait for the perfect time to speak up… we wait til we feel comfortable… we try to come up with the perfect anaology… we use methods from the latest book… we try to use entertainment.

Don’t get me wrong. We can & should use insights to the culture and people around us. We need to be wise about our decisions and actions. We need to pray in humility.

But we don’t need to help God.

He doesn’t need our help. He is powerful & able enough.

And quite frankly, our “help” can get in the way of God’s work… and steals from His glory… which He doesn’t like.

Let’s stop trying to help God, and just join Him in what He’s doing, walk by faith and not lean on our own understanding.