Giving God the credit and praise!

 

I am praising God today for a miracle in my life.  I want to give Him all the credit and glory!

 

I little over a year ago I was really overweight with many of the health issues that go along with being overweight.  Diabetes runs in my family and if I wasn't diabetic I must have been pretty darn close. 

My Grandma and my Dad were both diabetic.  I watched my Dad go through a couple of years of 3 times a week dialysis.  What a tough existence.  Not something I wanted to go through but unfortunately I could see I was almost certainly headed in that direction.  Needed to lose weight but didn't have any real hope of doing so.

 

That is when God brought Noom back around into my attention span.  Noom is a weight loss app for your phone that I had started keeping an eye on about a year previous.  I had checked it out and it seemed to make sense but I wanted to see if it had staying power before I tried it.

 

At just the right time, when I was ready, God dropped the thought into my brain, "hey remember that Noom thing?".  I love the way God does that.  He just plants the seed, points me in the right direction, and sends me down a new path.

Long story short.  I signed up.  How much did I want to lose?  I picked 50 pounds because it seemed like such and impossible number.  They said it would take 7 months.  I lost the first 50 pounds in 4 months.  Decided to head down to 160 pounds.  I am slightly under that today.  I lost over 80 pounds in 7 months and have kept it off. Noom taught me how to eat healthy.

Here is why I give God the credit and glory.  I had tried to lose weight on my own many times in different ways.  Usually lost short term and then gained it back and more.  But even when I did lose weight on my own it was a struggle and I hated it. 

Once God stepped in and showed me the direction I needed to go the rest was easy.  Not only was it easy but it was enjoyable and fun!  Really kind of weird.  Doesn't mean it is a perfect world.  I still have cravings and I still have the occasional night where "the elephant gets out" and I eat everything in sight.  But the system I learned to deal with issues like that works most of the time.

 

So here is the additional blessing of trusting and following God.  Because of all that weigh loss my health has improved dramatically.  I am no longer obese.  In fact my BMI is now in the normal range.  My medications for my couple normal ailments have been adjusted down or eliminated. 

And best of all, my A1C was right in the middle of the normal range.  Folks, I don't believe this would have ever happened without God's intervention.  I am so grateful for this new lease on life.  Thank you Lord!!!
 

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God" Matthew 5:9

 

I just returned from the best vacation of my life!  A week at the beach in Pt. Austin MI.  All of my kids and their spouses were there, as well as all of my grandchildren.  To get to see my grandkids playing at the lake together was cool beyond measure. 

While there were countless memorable moments there is one that will forever stand out in my mind above all of the others. 

The first morning, last Saturday, about 5:50 AM or so I was laying out on one of the boulders on the shore.  I was enjoying a cup of coffee, watching the sky turn red with the breaking dawn.  The wind was blowing a bit and the waves were crashing on the rocks.  I was just soaking in the moment and thanking God for all of the great changes in my life the past year.  It was so cool!

What made it even cooler was I heard a noise behind me.  It was my son Jed.  He knew it was going to be a busy day so he was up at dawn to do his daily devotions.  It was just so cool to spend that time together there on the rocks watching the sun rise. 

One of the things I am most thankful for in life is that Jed, as well as my other two kids, all took ownership of their faith at an early age and have continued that throughout their lives.  Imagine getting up at dawn when you are on vacation to make sure you get your devotions in!  :)

Little did Jed know that later that day events would unfold which would lead to the duty that he has to perform today. 

You see Jed is a police officer.  And just like so many policer officers, men and women,  out there, Jed is a good person, a Godly person.  A person who willingly makes sacrifices that many of us would never make to protect many who don't appreciate it. 

These fine men and women do this day in and day out without complaint, knowing that they may pay a price for doing their job; a price that most of us will never face for doing our jobs.  That price is the loss of their lives.

Unfortunately, last Saturday night Sgt. Ryan Proxmire was killed in the line of duty.  He sacrificed his life protecting his community.  He gave his life for his fellow man.  No greater love is there than that.  But it is not his sacrifice alone that was made.  His family made that sacrifice right along with him.  It wasn't just the love of a single man that made the sacrifice, it was the love of the whole family that supported that sacrifice! 

As Matthew tells us in Matt 5:9, it was Jesus Himself who said "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."!   I doubt if Jesus would object if we broadened it a bit.  Blessed are the peacemakers and their families!!!

Please keep the family in your prayers.

As far as the duty that Jed has to perform today.  He is part of the honor guard for his department at the funeral today.  It will be an emotional day for him.

Jed I just want you to know that I love you, I admire what you do, I'm proud of you, and I'll be praying for you today. 

"Blessed are the Peacemakers"!
 

In essence, let God sort it out! :)

LOL!  I love the simple wisdom of this guy.  He seems to be saying let God sort it out.  Take a look.

 

Acts 5:34-39(NKJV)

Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 

And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 

For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 

After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 

And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 

but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

 

Well after 2,000 years it hasn't died out so it must be from God!  (Which many of us knew all along!  :)

 

"Tend My Sheep"

 

What if your sheep don't want to be tended?

As a Lyft driver one of the most perplexing problems I see as I drive around is the problem of the homeless.  The reason I find it so perplexing is that there are so many jobs available that just about anyone can get hired right now.  I realize that some of the homeless have substance abuse problems and/or mental illness and they just can't work.  I get that.  But there are many others who still appear strong and healthy.  What is stopping them?

I see some of these people out on the street corner day after day, almost as if it is a chosen lifestyle.  Those are the people that come to mind when I ask the question, what if they don't want to be tended?  Some of these people work harder at begging than they would ever work in a factory job for example.  So why do they choose to keep begging? 

It occurs to me that we should pray for those who don't want to be tended and help those who do want to be helped. 

But even within the group of those who want to be helped, many don't truly want to be helped; they simply want to be fed and cared for.  Is that why Jesus used the specific word "tended", almost like tending cattle? 

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that until just now. 

Sad but something to ponder!

Now let me throw something else out there.  In other Scripture Jesus says that only those who hear His voice (meaning follow Him) are actually His sheep.  So in this context is Jesus telling the disciples to feed and tend just those who follow Jesus or is Jesus telling them to feed and tend everyone?

Hmm? 

I've always found this verse interesting.

Why do I find it so interesting?  Because it flies in the face of the image that many have of Jesus.  Many people seem to think that Jesus is this all loving, kumbaya singing, hand holding guy who will love on everyone no matter what. 

Contrast that with what Jesus Himself said.

 

John 17:9-10(NKJV)

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 

And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 

 

Isn't that interesting.  Jesus flat out says that the only ones He is praying for are those who have come to God through Jesus. 

Jesus isn't prying for the Muslims.  Jesus isn't praying for the Hindu's.  Jesus isn't praying for the Hari Krishna's, and He isn't praying for the heathens.  Jesus is investing His prayer time into those who matter most to Him.  Hmm.  Interesting.

But what about the unsaved?  Isn't He praying for the unsaved? 

 

Not according to this verse.  He is still bringing His message to the unsaved and doing everything He can to save them but according to this verse the unsaved don't get the favor of Jesus praying for them until they are saved.

That's a little different then the usual perception isn't it? 

But what about love your enemies? 

 

What about it? 

 

How can you love your enemies if you aren't praying for them? 

Hmm, I don't know.  Based on the tone of the question, are you suggesting that Jesus doesn't love His enemies if He doesn't pray for them? 

Maybe the thing to do is ask Jesus.  Have a conversation with Him.  "Dear Jesus….."

 

What is eternal life?

Jesus came to give us eternal life.  Most of us think that means we will live forever. 

 

Does it?

 

Here is the definition of eternal life, straight from Jesus' mouth.

 

John 17:1-3(NKJV)

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 

as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 

 

Now in other places Jesus does tell us He has prepared for us a place to stay and so on, but as far as eternal life goes, this is what is the essence of eternal life in the words of Jesus: 

Knowing God and Jesus!

Do you know God and Jesus?  If not, why not start with a simple conversation with Jesus?  "Dear Jesus…."

 

Is it a free choice or is it actually a sin? Hmm?

 

Here is the question.  Is it simply free choice not to believe in Jesus or is it actually a sin not to believe in Jesus?

 

When I first pondered this I came down on the side of not a sin.  If you didn't believe in Jesus then by choice you were going to hell but it was still simply a choice.

 

But then I read this.

 

John 16:5-11(NKJV)

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 

But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 

of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 

of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

 

Hmm, if anyone but Jesus had said this I might discount it but when the words come straight from Jesus I've got to accept it.

 

It still didn't "feel right" but I can understand the logic.