Psalm 107:14 says, “He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.” As I look at this picture, I’m reminded how many “things” are chained up in the city where I live. Gates, blockades, abandoned schools, old hospitals, businesses, and the list goes on and on. An illustration can easily be made to our lives. Decisions we’ve made, places we’ve been, people we’ve been close to, places we’ve worked, and even sometimes our homes….could all be places where we feel “chained.” The scripture writer in Psalms gives us great hope and he says, “He brought them out of (utter) darkness…” and their chains were broken! What “chains” you today? I know what it is for me that could so easily “chain” me. What is it for you? Are you willing and ready to have your chains of utter darkness broken? There is hope…when you’re ready!

Old GM Factory

2nd Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;  old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.”

I see this picture of an old GM plant and I think of this scripture….old things will pass away, and (in Christ) all things will be new.  Part of the difficult part of seeing things (buildings, houses, businesses, etc.) deteriorate, is that many times there’s no hope for a “resurrection.”  What has been, will never again be!  But as we live in Christ, we are new creatures.  Made new by and through His loving sacrifice for us.  As we look at our lives and see areas of “deterioration,” we need to remember to allow Christ to “make them new again.”  His work in us is enough…we no longer need to be satisfied with our old selves…we can be new in Him!  It’s a matter of choice…which decision will you make?

Dan will be in concert at the Flint Central Church of the Nazarene (Chenoweth Center) on January 29th at 6:00 PM. A time of fellowship (and desserts) will immediately follow the concert. Come hear an awesome vocal talent from a great man!

If you don’t know the relationship of the two in this picture, you would think it’s just another couple of guys playing an instrument. However, when you realize this is a father and son, the image takes on a whole new meaning. Since I personally know this family, it especially “speaks to me.” A father teaching, setting an example to follow, loving, encouraging, being a close mentor, and the list goes on and on. If every father “set this pace” our world would be a better place. The statement is so true that says, “it’s better to build a boy than repair a man.” Maybe we (fathers) should take a long look at this picture and ask ourselves, “how am I doing?”

I was recently in Florida (in my old hometown of Bradenton) and I was walking around a large lake and couldn’t “shake” this bird loose. No matter which way I turned…or how slow or fast I walked…or whether I looked back or not…this bird continued watching me closely. This is much the way our culture is today with “Christians.” They are watching closely. Doesn’t matter which way you turn….what you say or how you say it…how productive you are….the only thing that matters to anyone is what they see in our lives. If we would love the way Christ has called us to love, perhaps this culture we live in would be a bit more curious about who we are and what they could have (in Jesus). It’s just a thought…maybe more is really caught than taught?

Are you like a dandelion? When the winds of life blow you loose your cool…you loose your patience…you loose your perspective. The dandelion is also referred to as the “blow-ball.” This because it looses it’s integrity when the wind blows. There will be many times in life that we’ll be “in the winds” as we navigate through difficult times. Are you going to be blown around like the dandelion, or stand firm in your faith? It’s a matter of spiritual integrity!