It seems these days that everyone is raising prices.  The report out yesterday was that we are having the fastest rate of inflation in 26 years.  I went to Sonic for happy hour (it is truly happy for me) and experienced yet another blow to my monthly budget.  They went up on their Route 44 Iced Tea. This is the second time in less than 6 months. What is a man to do in today’s economy?:)

I just got back from filling up the church van and almost experienced a heart attack.  $125.00.  Everyone is raising prices what is the church to do?  As I pondered $4.00 a gallon and the economy and it’s effect on the church, I had an idea.  I wouldn’t say it is a God-idea but a Danny idea.  After little deliberation and thought, we have officially agreed to raise our required tithing percentage to 12%.  We hate to pass on the rising cost of inflation to the church customer but we have no other option.  So beginning this Sunday it goes up to 12% of your gross income. 🙂  This is only a joke!

What are we to do in hard economic times?  Trust God!  It is preposterous to think that God would require a raise in tithing.  I am glad to say that at Nederland First Assembly we are being blessed.  Though people face a crunch in their budget, we still find that people are trusting God and still giving.  We do not have to worry about what to do?  God always seems to make away.  My word to those who are worried about the economy and where it is heading.  Trust God, He owns a cattle on a thousand hills and He surely can take care of all of our needs.  The Psalmist said, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging for bread.”

This morning, I was reading in the New American Standard Bible and for the first time ever, I found a typo in a Bible.  Now note, it was a typo not an error.  It placed a b in the middle of a sentence and it made little sense.  It proves that man still makes errors.  Who would want the task of editing and reviewing the Bible for typo’s.  What a job!

Although I found a typo in my Minister’s Bible it proves that man makes mistakes, but the Word of God is still without error.  God’s Word is perfect.  It has the power to change lives.  Man makes typos in their everyday lives.  Mistakes in our relationships, on our jobs and in things we say.  Typos in just about every area of our lives.  God’s Word, however, stands!  It was written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit inspires us as we read it.  We can rely on God’s Word to help us in every area of our lives.  The Bible helps us correct the typos in our lives.

*by the way, CBD is having a great deal on this Minister’s Bible.  $19.99 for Genuine Leather.

Everyday, I have a habit.  Sonic Drive-in offers me a palce to go every afternoon to get an ice cold 44oz tea.  I have been frequenting this establishment for many years and they allow you to pay for your meal/drink from the comforts of your own car. 

We went Tuesday night for their half-price burgers and I decided to pay by debit.  Debit is intended to be used with security.  Meaning, you must have a pin number to use it.  As I slid my card into the debit machine it asked me if I knew my pin number (see attached photo).  I decided to select no just for fun, to see what would happen.  I pressed no and it approved me. (See attached photo) 

Now, I know this might not be too big of a deal. After all who is going to steal your debit card and go to Sonic, but it is principle.  Not to mention, if you press yes, you have to enter your number.  If you press no, you get approved right away.  No big deal!  From now on I will just press no and get done quicker.  But so much for security.

Thanks for listening, I just had to get this off of my chest.

Recently Josh went to stay with my parents for a week and a half.  He has never been gone from home that long and we thought it might be a nice little break.  But a funny thing happened.  It wasn’t a day or two and I was missing him terribly.  By the end of the week I was ready to drive to pick him up.  On Sunday, he called and asked to stay another day and it nearly killed me.  I told him no and I made him come home.  Sonya and I missed our time with him.

This is the way it is in our relationship with God.  When we stay away and do not spend time with Him, He misses us.  He doesn’t want a break from His children.  In fact, the more time together the better.  He is disappointed when we choose to stay away or go another day without spending time with Him.  When we are preoccupied with our own lives, it hurts His heart.  I remember the old song by Larnelle Harris that was sung from God’s perspective.  The song simply said, “I miss my time with you.”

When is the last time you spent quality time with the Lord?  How many times have you neglected His presence because you were too busy?  How often do you make appointments with others before you keep your appointment with God?  He misses His time with you!  Run to Him! Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

Sunday morning I shared from my heart about my concern for building a church to last for generations.  The American church must awaken from apathy and begin to build for the generations to come.  You can listen to the message here.

Hannah has recently picked up a phrase that Josh used when he was her age.  She will look up at you and say, “I need to hold you.”  In essence, she is wanting you to hold her but that is the only way she knows to say it.

Last night, it seems she had a rough night.  She tossed and turned.  She would cry out in her sleep as if she was having a bad dream.  This continued all night.  Early this morning I went to her crib and she said through her cries, “I need to hold you.”  Whatever she was dreaming about or upset about, she needed to be held.

In the trying days we live, we need someone to hold onto.  With an unstable economy, rocky marriages, wayward children, sickness and disease, we just sometimes need to be held.  You can see this in society because people are always seeking relationship after relationship to satisfy them.  The only One that can hold us like we need to be held is God. 

I cannot tell you how many times that I have faced struggles and cried out to God, “I need you to hold me!”  He is never too distant to be there for you, to uphold you with His right hand.  The Psalmist wrote, “23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.  24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.”

If you are stumbling through life and need someone to hold you up, call on the name of the Lord.  The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous shall run into it and be safe.

Tommorow night, we continue our Sermon on the Mount Series.  Man, was Jesus a preacher!  As I have been studying this sermon of His, I have been convicted almost every week.  This sermon is a piercing look at the heart of man and his spiritual problems. 

This week’s message deals with how to treat our enemies.  Jesus challenges us to go opposite of the way the world treat its enemies.  We are to love our enemies.  You would think Jesus didn’t have any enemies but He told His disciples, “Because the world hates me it will hate you also.”  Jesus had alot of enemies but He loved them with His abundant love.  If you have some enemies in your life, come Wednesday night.  Jesus’ sermon will hit you between the eyes.

I just finished a book that has to be one of the most convicting books I have read in a long time.  Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love , challenges the common apathy of the American Christian today.  He challenges the mind-set of the believer which seeks to take the easy road in their relationship with God.  If you are looking to become a better Christ-follower, you must get this book.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the Crazy Love:

“Can you worship a God who isn’t obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation? Do you really believe that compared to God, “all the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing” including you?”

“Throughout time, somewhere between forty-five billion and one hundred twenty-five billion people have lived on this earth.  That’s 125,000,000,000.  In about fifty years (give or take a couple of decades) no one will remember you.  Everyone you know will be dead.  Certainly no one will care what job you had, what car you drove, what school you attended, or what clothes you wore.  This can be terrifying or reassuring, or maybe a mix of both.”

“Over time I realized that when we love God, we naturally run to Him-frequently and zealously.  Jesus didn’t command that we have a regular time with Him each day.  Rather, He tells us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind.” He called this the “first and greatest commandment”.  The results are intimate prayer and study of His word.  Our motivation changes from guilt to love.”

This book is one of the most challenging books I have read about the believer’s walk since Ravenhill or Tozer.