A WHOLE MAN

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) I heard a story about a rich man who was approached by a poor man who needed a large sum of money, around 140k. They had had a good relationship so the wealthy friend agreed to give the money to his friend on the condition that they meet every Friday morning at 5 am at a coffee shop and in return the wealthy friend would impart some wisdom with his friend and also give him $4,000 for every week he came. Of course, he agreed to the arrangement and when the first Friday came, he showed up at 4:30 am so not to be late and as promised was given insight and a check for $4,000. This continued for several weeks and around the sixth week, the rich friend told his buddy that they did not have to meet anymore and that he would give him the remaining amount of money. He had enjoyed his company and speaking with him on those mornings and would stil...

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) I’m sure most of us have played a trust building game sometimes referred to as leading the blind. If you have not or do not know what I am referring to, basically you blindfold one person and attempt to navigate them through an obstacle course with only your words (If you have not tried this, I recommend that you do. It is a great way to help communicate the importance of our words and for building trust). When blindfolded, it takes a certain degree of trust in the person guiding you that they will not steer you into danger and will be leading you on the correct path. Although trust is an aspect of this activity, I would argue that most of us can do it just fine. In terms of a trivial game with very little risk at all, it is very easy for us to trust. Unfortunately, when applied to our lives and the relatio...

“17 I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. 18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, 19 creating praise on their lips…” Isaiah 57:17-19 (NIV) It’s amazing how man (as a human race) reacts with varying degrees to challenges, obstacles, and failure. Some will give up at the first sign of resistance and others will complain about. Very few will have the tenacity to stand up to the difficulties that life possesses and take hold of their dreams. It takes an acute eye to identify the source of your discomfort and a wise one to understand how one got there and what is necessary to get out. In the verse for this week, I was reminded and astounded at the fickleness and lack of devotion of the Israelite people. They had seen God and heard His voice. They have had Him fight many of their battles for them and they have heard and witnessed His pow...