Author: ray

Over the last several years when I have talked with Jason  he has talked about the busyness and noise in his life. Until the last 6 months I really hadn’t understood what that really meant.  Life can be so overwhelming when you are just busy.  You spend your work day running from one meeting to the next, with a phone attached to your ear, wondering when you are actually going to do your ‘work’.  Once your work day ends, you go home to children who want your attention and then of course a wife who needs your attention after a long day of no interaction with adults.   Then once the day ends you struggle to turn your brain off from thinking of the next day, some days I feel like the Grinch (in your grinchiest voice now)  all the “Noise, Noise, Noise!” 

I have confidence this is why God instructs us to stop and recognize Him.

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”

We are told to stop and think of God, to know of His power, His grace, His love, and His mercy because that is what knowing that He is God is all about.  That is why we have to find a way to be quiet for a few minutes and turn off the noise.  For me this morning, it is as I sit here and write this blog but I have to find a way .  Find a way today to turn off the noise off life and Be still, and know that He is God.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to serve as a Juror.  This was my first such experience and it was quite interesting to observe the proceedings.  I couldn’t help but think of God and judgement day.  The judge sat there with the prosecutor, defense attorney, and defendent all making motions and such but ultimately the judge had the final say.  After 2 hours of sitting and waiting the Judge announced that all cases had been dismissed, or settled, our services were not needed. When watching these actions I couldn’t help but think of the parallel, God dismissing the charges because of Jesus’ sacrifice, showing mercy but also standing ready to convict  those who never turned to him.

²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

and

⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 

So, I spent the dreaded 2 hours on jury duty yesterday, got my $35 and went home but through that experience I was able to be reminded of Christ’s sacrifice for me, to bring me and all who follow Him salvation.  Have a blessed day!

Good Morning Buffeter’s!  Jason is with his eldest in our Nation’s Capitol on a school field trip and has provided me the opportunity to write some morning encouragement.  This has been a week of Freedom!  The freedom to participate in a day of excess, the freedom to participate in sacrifice, and the freedom to not do either!  This sent my mind back to the summer of 2010 where I had the unique opportunity to travel to South Korea.  On the Sunday I was there, I went to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).  

As I stood there overlooking North Korea, just a few hundred yards away, I was humbled to know that in the green area stood individuals who would  arrest me for being me.  Just a few hundred yards away was a place that Christianity was illegal, being an American was not a positive thing, and where a dictator is worshipped as a God.  We are so blessed to have been given the freedoms we have.  Freedom that allows me to blog this morning without fear of retribution, the freedom of Jason to travel with his son, freedom to serve an amazing God!

James 1:25 (New International Version, ©2011)

²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

 Today look to Christ who has freed us from sin and God who has allowed us to be in this great country full of freedom and be BLESSED in all you do! Have a great day!

My oldest Son, Patrick, has reached that age dreaded age! No not puberty or driving, the age of being a cub scout! I know you are thinking thats not so bad but for an inside kind of guy, scouting pulls me out of my comfort zone. This weekend we will be heading to camp out in a tent. I have to honestly admit that I have been dreading this weekend since we decided to do this. I am going, though, because he is very excited about this experience.

You know God has had to do things he didn’t want to do us since we were created.  Check out these old testament examples:

Exodus 3:4-5 (New International Version)

4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Numbers 7:89 (New International Version)

89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him.

God has done things for us and limited Himself since the begining to be close to us and to speak with His people. So, Patrick wants to go camp in a tent for the weekend, I guess that I can do that to grow closer and to be with him.

About a month ago I had the opportunity to spend a week in Korea with my sister as she was adopting a little girl. It was a really cool experience and as I observed and looked around the country, I couldn’t help but notice this most Christian nation in Asia really wasn’t a majority Christian, like I am used to in the South. Since leaving, especially on days like I had yesterday, I can’t help but think, is this what God wants of me? Is this the place that God wants me? Shouldn’t I do more? It reminds of a powerful song, There’s a Stirring. Check the words:

There’s a stirring deep within me
Could it be my time has come
When I’ll se my gracious Savior
Face to face when all is done

Is that His voice I am hearing
Come away my precious one
Is He calling me?
Is He calling me?

I will rise up
Rise up
And bow down
And lay my crown
at His wounded feet

Such powerful words and truth is God can use me where ever I am. We are giving serious thought to mission work and your prayers for God’s guidance through this process and evaluation are much appreciated. For the time being I know God can use me anywhere I am and there is truly a stirring deep within me and I need to RISE UP, take my Cross, and follow HIM!

Matthew 16:24 (New International Version)

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.