When I was a young boy I had a problem that I am embarrassed to admit.  I was a bed-wetter.  I know this is not the usual subject for the blog world but there is an important application to this confessional.  It was a chronic problem that could not be easily fixed.  A child who is a bed-wetter struggles with feelings of inferiority because every time he “goes” in the bed ,it upsets the parents.  I understand that cleaning sheets and mattresses is no fun but there needs to be more grace for bed-wetters.

When I was around 10 or 11, I finally conquered the bed-wetting.  It was a victory that was won only because fear was struck in my heart.  I know all Grandmas are supposed to be sweet and nice, but on this occasion my Grandmother had enough of cleaning the sheets.  She took me into the room where I slept and pulled back the sheets to show me the plastic mattress cover underneath.  The words she spoke to me will forever be etched on my heart, “Danny, this is a special mattress pad, if you wet the bed again it will catch on fire.”  How traumatic for the bed-wetter!  How unjust to put a flammable mattress cover that would ignite with a single drop!  My Grandma was serious.  She knew it wouldn’t catch on fire, but I didn’t.  Sweet Grandma had run out of grace.

Going to sleep was tough that night.  I didn’t drink anything after six just to be on the safe side.  Guess what?  I did not wet the bed again. Ever!  I still have fear when I drink too late:)

In life, there are many people who are believers who fall into temptation’s way.  They may stay on the right path for a while but then all of a sudden they fall back.  They cave in and sin against God.  What is our reaction to these children of God?  Is it to drive them out of fear or out of grace?  Often our approach to those that falter is a message of condemnation.  Giving them the “truth” to make them not want to do it again.  Hell is real!  Habitual sin will lead you down the path to Hell, but should our approach be to condemn them or lead them back to grace?  We never need to shy away from the reality of judgment but we do need to be careful that we do not paint a hopeless picture.

The truth is, many people sin and feel ashamed enough in their sin.  They do not need our damning judgment but our loving persuasion to follow in the ways of the Lord.  Many people have given up hope on serving the Lord because they never felt like they could be “good enough” to keep up the standard.  Our challenge as a child of God is to point people to the grace that will help them to live holy.  If they are a chronic sinner, it may be necessary to use the “mattress pad that will catch on fire” approach but sometimes simply loving them in grace will help them keep the right path.

We concluded our WHY series Sunday with “Why Do I Still Doubt?”  You can listen here or download here.

Last night, Sonya and I were busy getting ready for our Sunday Services when we noticed Hannah struggling to put on some shoes.  When we came to check out what she was fussing about, it was a sight to behold.  She had the shoes from her Cabbage Patch doll and she was doing everything she could to get them on her feet.  The funniest part of it all was watching her walk in them.  She was tripping and fumbling her way around.  That’s what happens when you wear shoes that do not fit.

Often in God’s kingdom, we walk around in the wrong shoes.  We try to put on shoes that do not fit.  Wishing we could “fit” in someone else’s shoes.  God created us distinctly for the purpose He made us for.  If God implanted within us the gift of teaching, we will fumble our way around as a maintenance man.  If we were created with the gift of hospitality, we might not fit being a teacher.  We must all find what shoes fit us in the body of Christ and walk in what God has gifted us for.

It’s Friday, Sunday’s coming!  We will finish our Why Series with the question, “Why do I still doubt?”  If you struggle with doubt make sure you are here on Sunday morning to find out how to overcome.

Last week we discussed, “Why Am I Here? Why Do I Exist?  Why Did God Create Me?”  You can listen to the sermon online HERE.

Next Wednesday we will begin a study on Jesus’ sermon on the mount.  I studied the first message today.  It is going to be a good study.  Do not miss it.

I am excited to announce that we have hired a new youth pastor.  James and Deann Saxton, will be joining our staff in a couple of weeks.  They are living in Baytown and will be moving to Nederland to build our youth ministry.  Please pray for God’s blessing on them and our young people.  We are looking forward to great things in the future of our church.  They will be with us Sunday, June 8th.  James will be ministering in the evening service.  We will be having a fellowship after service on the 8th so that you can get to know them.

This Memorial Day we had some friends over for a BBQ.  After dinner, my friend and I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a Slip and Slide.  I remember my days as a kid on a slip and slide, no childhood is complete unless you have had one.  We brought it home and set it up for the kids to have fun.

I was amazed as I watched these kids go time after time.  Slip, Slide, start over.  Slip, slide, start over.  Josh, our 14 year old had a great time and I had a great time watching him.  The fact of the slip and slide is that the bigger you are the harder it is on the body.  Josh is 5’10” and 200 plus pounds.  It was hard for him to slip, slide and start over so much, but he did anyway.

As I was watching these kids slide down this water toy, I couldn’t help but think of how this is alot like our Christian life.  Slip, slide and start over.  We often fail, falter and disappoint God.  We have things that we trip over in life and things that we struggle with.  For the child of God there are times when we slip and slide but do not feel like starting over.  The tendency is to walk through shame and believe that if we slip and slide there is no starting over.  With God, however, He wants us to come to Him after we slip and He gives us a brand-new start. 

A slip and slide is used in such a way that you always slip and fall forward.  In our spiritual lives that is the way it ought to be.  As Maxwell said, “We must fail forward.”   Proverbs 24:16, “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again…”  Remember, if you fall keep getting up and try again.  Strive to keep getting up until you don’t fall anymore.

I jumped out of bed in a flash…my heart pounding.  It was Men’s Breakfast morning and I was late.  It started at 6:00am, I woke up at 5:55am.  I hurriedly got dressed and raced out the door and drove to Cowboy Red’s.  As we drove a little fast, I received a lecture from Josh, our 14 year old.  The subject of his lecture dealt with the fact that he would be in charge of the alarm clock from then on.  I relayed the information to him that the alarm clock went off but you cannot do anything about hitting the snooze button 6 times.

As we await the return of Christ, the alarm is going off, but many people are hitting the snooze button.  They are trying to get a little more living in before Jesus comes.  Trying to have a little more pleasure,  a little more money, a little more fun.  They keep hitting the snooze button.  In essence, they are going to sleep late when Christ comes.  It is like the parable of ten virgins.  Many people are sleeping and do not have enough oil in their lamps.

The hour is late and there are no guarantees on how long we have on this earth.  Are we alert and awake; ready for Christ to return?  Or do we keep hitting the snooze button and run the risk of over-sleeping?

The other morning when Hannah woke up, I went in the room to get her out of the crib.  She had her eyes closed as she laid on her back, with a grin on her face and said, “I pooey.”  That is Hannahese for ” I pretty”.

Some might say she is conceited or arrogant, I would say that she is affirmed by her loving parents; that she is pretty and she is a princess to her dad.  Children need affirmation and love.  They need to know that they are wanted and that our thoughts are good toward them.  This is necessary for their healthy development when it is balanced with necessary correction as well.

I also believe that it is a picture of what every child of God needs.  Often we view God as an angry God who cannot be pleased.  We tend to think that when we mess up he notices right away but never notices when we do good.  It is quite the contrary.  The fact is that God gives us the benefit of the doubt and thinks good toward us always.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

God’s thoughts toward us are good thoughts.  He wants us as His children and He affirms us through His Word.  Yes, there are times He has to correct us, but it is always in love and with the best of intentions.  God thinks you are “pooey”.