February 2000
February 26, 2000
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
- Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
One of the biggest stress-producers I know of has a green foundation: money. It causes stress in many ways; through worrying about paying bills or buying gifts or medical emergencies. It causes some folks WITH money stress worrying about how they have invested their money. It can also cause stress through envy. You've heard it before - "green with envy."
In America, we live in a "keep-up-with-the-Jones" society;
Your neighbor gets a new car. All of a sudden, you notice two or three more new cars on the street.
Your partner buys a new house. All of sudden, your own house starts looking bad.
Your buddy invites you over to watch the game on his new Ultra-digital-super-millineal-DVD-stereo bigger than life TV. Now your 25" looks pathetic.
In our verse this week, we are reminded to be happy with what we've got. There are lots of big screens, DVDs, gadgets and thing-a-ma-bobs out there. But you know what? They are all temporary.
Our REAL CHIEF knows what we need in this life. HE has also given us riches beyond comprehension: eternal life through belief in Christ.
Be happy with what you have. If you are a Christian, you are very rich, indeed! If you are not yet a Christian, ask God to bring Jesus into your life today... if you will do so, you will begin to store up your riches in Heaven!
February 19, 2000
"...for he has not despised my cries of deep despair; he has not turned and walked away. When I cried to him, he heard and came."
- Psalms 22:24 (TLB)
People tend to think, at times, that God isn't listening to us or that He just doesn't care. Nothing can be further from the truth. The truth is this: He cares SO much that we can't comprehend the extent of it all. God IS Love.
This verse is so appropriate this week. In the past 8 days, I have performed TWO firefighter funerals and a firefighter wedding. Then, yesterday I attended the Memorial Service for the two fallen Houston firefighters. This is all in addition to my full-time secular job, my fire department training meetings, the Bible study I teach, this website and my family.
Now, I am not complaining... I am trying to make a point. I felt a little stress this past week or so. Okay, I felt ALOT of stress this past week or so. My point is this, as a believer I was able to turn everything over to Him. He heard me and came to me.
Kinda like a 9-1-1 call, huh? I was stressing... I needed words to say: to comfort, to marry, to soothe and to ease pain. So, I called G-O-D. Our verse says HE heard and came. And, boy, did He! It was my CHIEF that came through with the words I needed to comfort his people... His words to marry a great couple... and again, His words used to comfort another family.
HE won't walk away from your cries, either! Are you stressing? Get on your knees, close your eyes and call G-O-D. Make the REAL right call! Ask Jesus to be the center of your life!
February 12, 2000
"And you husbands, show the same
kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the Church when he died for her,
...that is how husbands should treat their wives, loving them as parts of
themselves."
- Ephesians 5:25 & 28 (TLB)
As you celebrate Valentine's Day with your significant other, don't let your display of love be reserved for that one day. All too often, we in the fire service tend to take our spouses for granted. It is almost like we expect them to sit at home worrying about how our shift is going. And, of course, they should be sitting on the edge of the bed with great anticipation to hear your "war stories" as you "return from battle."
When you begin thinking/acting like that, you are placing stress on your mate AND stress on your relationship. This weeks' verse tells us that we are to lay down our lives on a daily basis for our spouses. The Bible says that if we love our spouse, we love ourselves. 'Course, in our business we all know some who REALLY love themselves! hehehehehe But, does that mean that they REALLY love their spouse?
The verse above says that we must love our spouse as much as Christ loved the Church...by dying for her. In other words, that commitment you made at the altar should be realized by your spouse on a daily basis. How? Don't just tell her you love her...show her.
This has been a bitter-sweet week here. On Thursday, I performed a funeral for a young firefighter who had died of a heart attack. Then, on Saturday (today), I performed a wedding for a Fire Chief. Obviously two ends of the spectrum...but, with some common threads:
THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST WAS SHARED WITH ALL AT BOTH CEREMONIES
LOVE WAS DEMONSTRATED, NOT JUST SPOKEN OF AT BOTH CEREMONIES
Like I said at the funeral, we must learn to thank God for the thorns and the roses. We must continue to love through the thorny times and the rosy times.
May each of you celebrate your love with your spouse this week!
Cindy, I love you more and more. I thank God every day for our marriage. Thanks for the thorns and the roses, sweetheart! I LOVE YOU.
February 5, 2000
"May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer - may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?"
- Proverbs 5:18-20 (NIV)
I receive quite a bit of email (as you might imagine) and one of the most common "ailments" I hear about is marital difficulties. Unfortunately, the divorce rate is extremely high in our profession. Also unfortunate is the fact that marital problems are all-too-often a source of stress in our lives.
I believe we are prone, in public service, to be targets for the devil to cause marital stress for several different reasons:
24 hour shifts away from each other
Lack of understanding each other's roles
Mistrust
Finances
Infidelity
This week's verse is a reminder to us to... as the great spiritual band (hehehehehe) Crosby, Stills & Nash said,
"...love the one you're with..."
I am an extremely fortunate man... my beautiful wife, Cindy never complains about my hectic schedule. I even had to take her out for her birthday (no, Dear, I won't tell them your age, hehehehe) dinner at four in the afternoon because I had been called to do a CISM debriefing that night! All Cindy said was, "I understand." WHEW, what a woman! There is nothing I look forward to more than to coming home to my wife. Sure, kids are great. But, your spouse and you are "fused"... you are one!
Valentine's Day is coming up. Make this year the best it has ever been for you and your spouse. Turn to each other. Count on each other. Love each other.