God speaks to us in many different ways. If we would only listen, we would hear his voice. Of course a word from the Lord is always in agreement with the Word of God – the Bible. God gave me a word a few days ago through the Merry Maids. I had been praying concerning a certain situation. One evening I was driving down the highway, praying as I went toward home. I saw an interesting billboard. It was an advertisement from a house-cleaning service – The Merry Maids. In large simple letters the sign read – “RELAX – IT’S DONE!” I imagine the company was telling us that if you hired The Merry Maids to do your house cleaning you could go home and “relax – it’s done!”

Some people seem to enjoy “raising cane”. But I’m amazed at four friends who were so full of compassion that they literally razed the roof to get help for their paralyzed friend, who was sick with palsy.

A roof can be a really hot place to be. My brother-in-law and I recently shingled my mother’s roof. With temperatures soaring to over a hundred degrees on the roof, I’d rather had been in the comfort of the air-conditioned house. But the work needed done. Sometimes there is a price to pay to get help for your friends and family. These four friends knew that if they could get their sick friend to Jesus, he would be made well. (See Mark 2:1-12.)

Her brother was gravely ill. An urgent message was sent to her brother’s best friend. “Please come quickly, your friend is dying.” Lazarus died. Martha and Mary were devastated. Why did Jesus not come? He, the miracle worker, could have healed their brother. Was Jesus so uncaring that He refused to take a short walk to Bethany? Why did he wait four days? Why did he wait until Lazarus was already dead?

Jesus said something astounding to His disciples, “Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this” (John 11:14, TLT). How would God be glorified? Because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, proving He was who He claimed to be – the Son of God. (See John 11:1-44.)

Christianity is unique because Christ is unique. No other religion’s god gave their life as a sacrifice for their people in fulfillment of prophecy. No other god died and arose from the dead as the Son of God did. Good Friday and Easter (Resurrection Sunday) are the most holy days of the Christian calendar. Just as the Day of Atonement and Passover are in the Jewish calendar.

The sufferings and passion of Christ were prophesied (foretold) centuries before Jesus Christ was born in fulfillment of scripture. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

As we celebrate another 4th of July we need to pray and proclaim freedom to the captives, as never before. Satan is working overtime to try and take away our freedom on all fronts. That, of course, is his nature. Jesus described the enemy’s character and purpose, ‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT).

When General George Washington led his beleaguered troops into battle at Valley Forge, they were an army that had suffered hunger and exposure to the harsh elements of winter. Historians tell us that their march could be traced by the bloody foot prints in the snow. Many of them had no shoes.

A couple of years ago I saw the movie The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It was scary and powerfully acted by Jim Carey. The grinch thought he could wreck Christmas by stealing all the Christmas gifts. In the end, he realized that Christmas is not the gifts but the giver.

Today, modern day grinches are trying to steal Christmas by bans, laws, and decrees. Some stores and merchants even forbid their employees from wishing their customers a “Merry Christmas”. It seems to be fine to make millions of dollars on the back of Christmas, but don’t mention Christmas, as some merchants demand.

When asked who in the history of the United States the greatest president was, most would say George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. There have been a lot of good presidents but perhaps fewer great presidents. Greatness is usually determined by how one handles great adversity. Certainly both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln persevered under extreme adversity and guided our nation through a dangerous juncture to make it what it is today.

Both Washington and Lincoln believed in the power of prayer. Both prayed for wisdom and strength to lead the nation. But all of Lincoln’s ideas came from a frame of reference of belief in divine providence. He expressed this belief best in his farewell address at Springfield, “I now leave . . . with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being, who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail.”

Americans seem to be obsessed with power. We have power walks, power drinks, power neckties, powerful SUV’s, computers with mind-boggling RAM power, power lunches, and a host of other empowerments.

The most underestimated and underused empowerment is prayer. Statistics verify that prayer works. Even medical science has substantiated the benefits of prayer. Why do so many people feel a lack of power in prayer even though the majority of Americans claim that they pray? Let’s look at six principles in Mark 11 and Matthew 21 that can give you power in prayer and change your life.

One of our most treasured possessions was given to us almost thirty years ago as a wedding gift. It’s a wooden plague with hand carved praying hands on it. Those praying hands not only remind of the carpenter of Nazareth’s praying hands but also the following story of “The Praying Hands” from an unknown author.

In 1490 two young friends, Albrecht Durer and Franz Knigstein, were struggling young artists. Since both were poor, they worked to support themselves while they studied art. Work took so much of their time and advancement was slow in coming. Finally, they reached an agreement that they would draw lots; one would work to support them while the other would study art. Albrecht won and began to study while Franz worked at hard labor to support them. They agreed that when Albrect was successful he would support Franz while he studied art.

Springtime is seed time. There can be no harvest without planting. Two things must precede planting. First – you must envision what type of harvest you want. Do you want pumpkins, apples, corn, or tomatoes? We envision the harvest and plant accordingly. Jesus told us to envision the ripened harvest fields of souls. (Matthew 9:37-38) Second – before seeds are planted, the soil must be broken up and prepared to receive the seed. Prayer prepares the soil of the heart to receive the seed of the life giving Word of God.

The harvest is now ripe in jails and prisons. Not all can go, but all believers can pray. As you pray, here are some things to pray for. One way to pray for harvest and harvesters is to go through the alphabet and use it to pray A – Z. I’ll give some examples of what to pray for using each letter, but add your own.

“There goes poor Roy,” Aunt Gertie clucked as she craned her neck to look out the beauty parlor window where she sat for her weekly hair beautification.

Poor Roy rode down the street on his creaky bicycle loaded down with bulging gunnysacks. The oversized metal basket attached to the front handlebars overflowed with a menagerie of treasures collected along his route. Poor Roy, as he was called by some of the locals, could be described as one of the town characters that most towns have. He was somewhat eccentric or “odd turned” as my mother refers to such people. Some made fun of Roy’s severe stutter, which became worse when he became angry with his tormentors.

My little granddaughter pulled me by the hand. “Pooh”, she said as we sat on the floor to watch her favorite video. As an adult “Winnie the Pooh” seems rather slow moving and laid back. Preschoolers seem to love the gentle bear. My grandson’s favorite character is Tigger. Perhaps he identifies with the high energy, rambunctious escapades of Tigger.

A banner that I saw waving from the porch of a home seems to sum up the appeal of Winnie the Pooh. The banner displaying the pictures of Winnie and Tigger read: “Welcome friends”. Preschoolers and children seem to make and value friends easier than teens and adults. Winnie the Pooh seems to model acceptance and the value of friendship.

The company motto has stuck with me for several years for some reason. “We aim to please,” was the motivating mission of this small business. People took them at their word and they became a very successful and growing business.

We all live to please someone. The question is, “Whom do you live to please?” Some people please the public or their employers in order to succeed in politics or business. Some people endeavor to please everyone in order “to get along”. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9 NKJV). But there is a difference between being a peacemaker and making peace.

It was a surreal moment - a moment frozen in time that we will never forget. The terrorist attack on America September 11, 2001 was replayed before us on television as we watched in stunned silence. When the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, the death and destruction amongst the ruble and twisted steel was referred to as “Ground Zero”.

Faith and heroic rescue attempts ensued in the aftermath of the horrible destruction. As we commemorate the anniversary of September 11th, let us remember the victims and pray for the families, friends, and fellow Americans who suffered terrible loss on that infamous day. Let us pray that God will bless America and help us preserve peace and freedom.

Ground Zero was the word the media used to describe the devastation in the aftermath of the appalling attacks on the World Trade Center. The infamous events of September 11th have caused millions of Americans to re-examine priorities and take inventory of their lives.

Stanley Praimnath was at Ground Zero that September 11th. Stanley, an assistant vice-president of Fuji Bank in New York City, was at his desk on the 81st floor of the South Tower. He arrived early to spend time reading his Bible and praying. “For some reason, I gave the Lord a little extra time of myself that morning in prayer,” he says. Fifteen minutes later a red-orange flash catches his eye. Outside his window flames cough black smoke as the result of American Airlines Flight 11 plunging into the World Trade Center North Tower. Stanley and his co-workers rush to the 78th floor elevators. At ground level a security guard meets them. “Don’t leave the building,” the guard says, “You’ll be safer inside because of falling debris.”

Recently as I sat in a McDonald’s in Central Illinois, there was a young man sitting on a stool enjoying his extra-value meal. I noticed that he was an employee of McDonald’s and developmentally challenged. He obviously had finished his workday and knew that it was payday. At least a half dozen times he went to the counter and loudly demanded his paycheck. After his job coach finally instructed him on proper etiquette, he received what he was due – his paycheck. In working with and ministering to the developmentally challenged over the years, I’ve noticed that even the most severely challenged come to know and expect payday.

The former governor of Illinois, George H. Ryan, made an astounding move before leaving office – he pardoned all convicted murderers sitting on death row. Whether he was right or wrong in doing so, I leave that to the legal professionals, politicians, and moral ethicists who are more astute in such matters than I am. We could ask those pardoned what they think.

When I walk through Foundation Park, I occasionally stop to read the bronze plaque that is embedded in one of the stone pillars at the entrance to Dr. Hall’s fields. This amazing inscription reads: “I, Dr. J. Carl Hall, announce to all patients owing me at the date of my death, that their accounts are automatically receipted in full, for all medical services rendered to them during my lifetime and not paid on or before the date of my death, and all and singular of said accounts are hereby forgiven.” – August 13, 1961.

I smelled the sweet fragrance of spring as I excitedly guided the U-Haul rental truck into the sleepy county seat of Eldora in north central Iowa 31 years ago. We were thrilled to be taking our first pastoral assignment. If the church board had not offered us a modest salary, I probably would have gladly paid them or some church to let me preach.

Many times first experiences are very special or memorable. We had many “first” experiences in the three and a half years we pastored our first church. It was there that our first child was born. Our first doctor’s Corvette was stolen by one of the young men we had brought to church. My first wedding lasted a total of five minutes. The wedding party ran to the front before my wife could play the first couple of measures of the processional. They wanted it simple and short.

A cloud of dust trailed behind the entourage of the royal chariot of the Secretary of the Treasury of Ethiopia, servant of Candace the queen. Dust devils spun away from the convoy as it traveled the desert road to Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian eunuch had come out of Africa to worship God in the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. Because of his great authority and privilege, he had been afforded such a fortunate opportunity. His fathers had worshipped the God of the Jews since the time of King Solomon. There was even a long held tradition, or at least a speculation, that this sect of the Jews had hidden the Ark of the Covenant for safekeeping in Ethiopia until the coming of the Messiah. But he was not privy to such secrets.

It’s been said, “You are what you eat.” That’s more truthful than we realize. Bread is called “the staff of life.” Down through the centuries, bread has been the foundational building block of man’s physical sustenance.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had every need provided for them by God. After they sinned, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life . . . By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:17-19 NASB). God gave man the strength and ability to earn his food. But he depended upon God for the seed, rain, sun, and provision.

I know that t-ball is far from pro-baseball, but to me it’s more entertaining. This past summer I had the joy of watching my grandson Elijah play t-ball. Elijah and his friend stood between first and second base talking, a girl was chasing butterflies, and another player was blowing dandelion seeds into the air. Parents were reading a book or talking on their cell phones. But there were a few seriously focused on the game, especially the coaches and couple of hyper dads looking for scouts to sign their kid to a major league contract.

Minnesota the land of 10,000 lakes is a beautiful state. My wife’s ancestors emigrated to Minnesota and North Dakota from Sweden. Recently we enjoyed a few days of vacation there. Minnesota is a fisherman’s paradise. I noticed a sign in the men’s restroom at a lake, it was probably meant for some of the resident Norwegians (HA! HA!) It hangs above one of those pull down baby changing tables. It read, “Please do not clean your fish on this table, this to change babies on only!”

Some claim that the Minnesota state bird is the mosquito. They certainly are big and plentiful. I enjoyed seeing and hearing the haunting but peaceful call of the loon. On an early morning walk, I came within a few yards of a great blue heron. It was magnificent. God has created a beautiful and wondrous world. We need to take time to enjoy it.

This Fourth of July we once again celebrate the independence and liberty secured by the brave patriots and forefathers of our country. They were on a mission. Their determination and sacrifice has made the United States of America the greatest example and bastion of freedom the world has ever known. We reaffirm that mission every time we “Pledge Allegiance” to the flag and “to the republic for which it stands.”

Little Jeremy was on a mission. At six years of age he was visibly moved at the plight of a third world country when his teacher told the class that many children were dying because they did not have clean water to drink.

Looking through a veil can be frustrating. Through the veil you can see the shadow of a thing but the real substance is hidden and unobtainable. Jacob worked for seven years to obtain his promised bride Rachel. Finally, on his wedding day, in joyful anticipation he took his bride. But after the veil was taken away, he found that his father-in-law had tricked him. Jacob was given Leah instead of the promised Rachel whom he loved. He had to work for another seven years to obtain his beloved bride. (Genesis 29) Evidently, Jacob could not see through the veil and was prevented from receiving the promised love of his heart.

Multitudes of people throughout the world live in fear and with a sense of stark terror. Bradford was one who wore a mask of calmness and normalcy during the day, but at night, the middle-aged computer programmer lived and slept in constant fear and harassment from “spirit beings.” As October 31st, Halloween, approached, he grew more apprehensive and agitated. Initiated into a pagan religion by his parents as a young man, he was often depressed and had begun to think that the only way out was to take his own life.

For most Americans, Halloween is viewed as simply superstition, fun, and frivolity.