The Tendency To Stray

Psalm 119:21 "You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands."

Do you have a tendency to stray?

When I was a child, my Dad took us to Sears. He liked going to Sears, and my brother Randy and I didn't have much of a choice. We weren't huge fans of these errands. That is, until the Atari video game system came out. When we saw the display system, Randy and I begged Dad if we could stay and play while he shopped for what he was looking for. He said, "Sure," and off we went.

It didn't take Dad long to finish his errands. He came back and said, "Boys it's time to go." We started to follow him. In fact, I think Randy kept following him. But, not me. The pull of that Atari video game system was too strong. It was as if a magnetic force was pulling me back. I had been locked into the tractor beam of the system and I felt like it was useless to fight back. I went back to play. And, my Dad didn't even notice that I was gone.

I was well into my third game of Asteroids when my Dad found me. And, boy, was I in trouble. Why? Because I strayed. I strayed from my father's instruction, and he was worried about me.

And, today, I fear that I haven't learned the lesson that straying is not worth it. Do you know what God calls my ignorance? He calls it arrogance. To stray from the commands of God, when I know full well what those commands are, means that I am inviting the Lord's rebuke upon me.

What do you think God's rebuke looks like? David says that the arrogant are not only rebuked, but they are cursed. Cursed by God, himself.

At least one Old Testament prophet wasn't buying Psalm 119:21. It was Habakkuk. In his short, three chapter book, Habakkuk complained bitterly about the preferential treatment that he felt the ungodly were receiving from the Lord. In Habakkuk 1:2-4, the prophet complains, "How long, O LORD must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you 'Violence!' but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted."

Do you ever feel that way. When we feel like we've got it all together spiritually, (which I'm not sure has ever been the case for me) and we see those who deny God and think Christians are stupid, having what looks like such a great time, it can feel like God is being unfair. He's not. God responds to Habakkuk in the following verses. He tells Habakkuk that the wicked nations will not go unpunished. They will experience what Psalm 119:21 talks about. In their arrogance they will be rebuked. But, it would happen in God's time, not Habakkuk's. Those that Habakkuk complained about were punished decades later. Decades!

So, back to you and me. I know my tendency to stray has yielded me less punishment than I deserve. God, in His mercy, has extended more grace upon me than I deserve. Maybe that's so that I'll stop straying. So that I'll recognize before it's too late that God's love is extravagent. I don't want to feel His rebuke. I don't want to love God out of fear, and I don't think that's the point. But, I do believe that God will get our attention if we continue to stray from His commands. And, it will come when we least expect it. May we all learn the lesson of Psalm 119:21.

Dear God,

You are grace. You are love. You have extended your mercy, love and grace upon us even though we don't deserve it. We all deserve Your rebuke and cursing. Help us to walk in Your ways. Help us to desire You more than anything this world has to offer. Help us to love you not out of fear, but because of the love that you have lavished upon us. We can't deny that love exists. Help us to celebrate it every moment of every day.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

One Pure and Holy Passion

Psalm 119:20 "My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times."

I'll never forget the first time I heard the song played. I was in church and listened as our high school worship team led us in worship. The soloist sang with a heart of unbridled passion for God. The words were first recorded by the Passion Praise Band. The song, One Pure and Holy Passion goes like this:

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after You

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me on magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after You

To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your dicsiple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you, my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you
To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in the truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you

Lord to know and follow hard after you
And to grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you

I love those words. They remind me of the words of David in Psalm 119:20. David, writing with great passion, tells God that he is literally consumed with knowing God. I wrote an e-mail to the camp director at the camp that we use for our summer retreat each year. He responded to me earlier today. When he signed his e-mail, he didn't write, "sincerely," or "In Him" or "In His Service" or one of those lines that so many Christians use when they sign e-mails. He wrote, Totally consumed by HIS call, and then signed his name.

So, what consumes you. Between David, and my camp director friend, and the song One Pure and Holy Passion, I find myself asking that question a lot lately.

May I, like my friend, say it's God and his call on my life.

Let Him consume you!

Dear God,

Consume me. Consume my friends. Consume those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. Help us to desire more of you and less of us. Help us to live like ones who have been marked as your children.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Friday Night Lights

Psalm 119:19 - "I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. "

This is the weekend that I take our volunteer staff and student leaders on their annual planning/vision/bonding retreat. This year's retreat is in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. For those of you who don't know, Eden Prairie is the same city that our church is in. We are staying in a hotel where you can literally see our church steeple.

Last night I took our staff and students to a high school football game. We saw Eden Prairie High School take on Chaska High School at Chaska. When we arrived at the game the atmosphere was electric. The Chaska side of the field was packed. It was standing room only. The Eden Prairie side of the field? Packed; standing room only. And in the time that we were at the game, I watched our adult staff morph into high schoolers. Okay, they still acted like adults, but they remembered their high school years. After the game I asked the adults to tell me what they experienced and how they felt as they watched the game. Many of them recounted their own high school experiences. They talked about what groups they were in while they attended high school. They talked about how strange it felt to be at a high school campus, not as a student, but to remember how awkward it felt to be in high school. And, they talked about how they felt like strangers walking into a stadium full of people that they didn't know.

In Psalm 119:19, David says that he is a stranger on earth. Some translations choose to translate the word stranger as sojourner. David knew that his time on earth was temporary. He was passing through this life. It's easy to forget that. In the long days of life it is so easy to get sidetracked and chase after all that the world has to offer. And in the end, we end up feeling dissatisfied with life's bitter offerings. In the midst of life's busyness, it's easy to forget God.

Do you remember what it was like to be in high school? If it's been a while, a lot has changed. But, there is so much that is still the same. In high school I had a very real awareness that there was life beyond high school. I cared about which college that I would go to, and what my career would be. But, I also lived my life very much in the moment. I see students today that make incredibly poor, life altering decisions, on a whim, because they can't see past today. Someday those same students will be standing on the sidelines of a football game and realize that they are strangers in that place.

We are sojourners or travelers or strangers in this thing that we call life. I like how David put it in Psalm 39:12 when he said to God, "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner like all my fathers."

Today, keep in mind that our lives our short. Pursue that which really matters. Love God. Love others. Declare His name among your world.

Dear God,

Help us not to get so wrapped up in the world around us that we lose sight of You. Help us to live for Your glory. Help us to love You with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Great Blog Post on Suffering

Maybe I'm just a proud brother, but I don't think that's it. My sister has written an incredible post on suffering. Check it out at: Uncensored Thoughts Pondering Life. Let me know what you think.

It's Time To Take Off The Blinders

Psalm 119:18 - "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

I heard a sad statistic today. A recent survey says that 55% of wives have had extramarital sex. (Slightly less than husbands). 90% of them said that they didn't regret it. See: The Growing Trend of Cheating.

While 90% may not regret it now, they will later. Sin has a way of being satisfying for a season, and then it burns us. In Psalm 119:17, David asks God to open his eyes so that he can see the wonderful things in God's law. God's law, wonderful? Yes, it is. And, when we follow it, life goes well. Put work into meeting your spouse's needs by honoring her or him and guess what? Life goes better.

God tells us throughout Scripture to love others more than we love ourselves. He tells us to look out to the needs of others before we look out for our own. He tells us over and over again what is best for us. And, over and over again we try to say that we know better than God. It is as if we have put the blinders over our eyes and we don't want to see any of the value in following God's ways. Oh, that we would grasp the love that God has for us. His laws are not meant to suffocate, but to give life. Paul describes this love in Romans 8:38-39 when he writes, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Open your eyes. His law is beautiful.

Dear God,

It's easy to put the blinders on in today's world. The grass looks greener on the other side, so we stray towards that which brings your grief and us consequences. Help us to trust in You. Help us to remember that you have our best interest in mind. Help us not to settle for less than your best in our lives. Help us to follow your law.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The King Who Viewed Himself As A Servant

Psalm 119:17 - "Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word."

He had it all. He lived in a beautiful palace. He had great riches. The people that he ruled loved him. In the world in which he lived, David was the biggest celebrity. People around the world respected and feared him. He had servants who waited on him day and night. And, he recognized that in the grand scheme of life, he was nothing.

In Psalm 119:17, David implored God to be good to him. When I read this I want to say, "Duh, David, you are the king. God has been good." But, I think that David is recognizing that everything that is good, has been given to him by God. Even his life is in God's hands. That's why David asks for God to be good. Just as last week, we read of David's fear that God's Spirit would be taken from him, this week we see that David's fear of the Lord even extended to his very life.

David reveals something else about his character in this verse. And that is that he truly did regard himself as God's servant. That had to be tough for the celebrity King. And, yet, David, the man after God's own heart, probably didn't even give it a second thought. When David lived with God at the center of his life, and as God's servant, Israel prospered. When he strayed, his family and his country suffered.

In Psalm 84:10, David wrote, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

He understood what it meant to be a servant. And, I need to learn all the more what it means to be a servant of God.

Dear God,

Help me to strive to descend to the role of a servant. Help me relish in the opportunities that I have to make You look good to the world around me. Help me to take joy in the low positions, and not seek to puff myself up. Help me to live for You and Your glory.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Neglect

Psalm 119:16 - "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

Have you ever had a situation where all you had to do was hear a word, and your stomach turned? For me, it's the word neglect. Why? Because it is rare that you hear the word neglect and it is related to something positive happening.

Neglect your diet and your waste line grows.
Neglect your children and they go through incredible difficulty.
Neglect your marriage and get ready for hard work.
Neglect your lawn and the weeds take over.

Neglect God's word and . . .

My guess is that we'd all answer that a little bit differently. And, we'd all answer from personal experience. We've all been there. We know how busy life can get. We have all of the excuses memorized. I can't spend time with God because of 1) 2) 3). We lay the case out as if we are presenting it before a judge. And, yet, God's desire doesn't change.

He desires that we spend time with Him. And, one of the primary avenues that God has to speak to us is through His word. So, today, spend some time with Him. Beyond, this blog, allow God's word to saturate your heart. Let Him speak to you through the ancient words of Scripture.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

Dear God,

Thank you for your word. Allow it to transform us as speak to us today. Thank you for your love that reaches down to us each and every day. Help us to show it to the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Take Time To Study

Psalm 119:15 - "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways."

Tomorrow marks the first day of school for most students in Minnesota. All four of my children are looking forward to beginning the next chapter of their lives in the morning. Breanna begins high school. Chris is a seventh grader. Jeremy is very excited about third grade. And, Zachary? He's just thrilled to be starting first grade. No more kindergarten for Zach!

Do you remember what it was like for you when you went back to school after a long summer? Maybe you are still in school, and reading this blog? Do you remember last year? Most students are excited about the first day of classes. There is the bittersweet realization that summer is over, but also the euphoria that comes with something new. That is until the homework starts piling up. It seems that within a few days or weeks, students are left longing for the long days of summer.

When I first read Psalm 119:15 today, I read it in the New Living Translation. The translators of the New Living Translation chose to translate this verse this way, "I will study your commandments
and reflect on your ways." I like this version. It reminds me of 2 Timothy 2:15, where Paul tells Timothy to study! God wants us to study His word. One of the ways that Webster defines the word study is: careful or extended consideration.

The last couple of weeks have helped me gain a new appreciation for the commands of God. They are worthy of our study. They are worthy of careful and extended consideration. They are worthy of being known. They are worthy of being allowed to change our lives. They are life giving. And they are God's words.

So, as students begin school this year, let's all make a renewed commitment to be students of the Word. Let's reflect on God's commands and reflect on His ways.


Dear God,

It was elsewhere that the psalmist said that your ways are too wonderful. They blow us away. You are mysterious, and yet you make yourself known. Help us all to be better students of your word this year. Help us to allow your word to be reflected upon in our very souls. Help us to allow you to transform us into the image of Christ. We love you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Psalm 119:14 - "I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches."

When it debuted in the United States on August 16, 1999, even most astute television analysts could not have predicted the monsterous success that would instantly grace Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The show made television history, and made Regis Philbin, Millionaire's affable host an even bigger star than he already was. Why? Because no previous game show had ever had a million dollar prize. And, the show looked simple enough for anyone to have a chance at becoming an instant millionaire.

King David would have been considered a millionaire in today's world. At the height of his empire, David was easily the wealthiest man in the world. His son, Solomon, would eclipse the net worth of his father, becoming not only the wisest man ever to live, but the richest too. So, when David says that he rejoices in God's statutes as one rejoices in great riches, it's worth listening to. Because, David understood riches better than anyone that I know ever will. Most people that I know like money and would like to have more of it. But, money isn't the answer. The precepts of God, are better than gold and silver. They are priceless. It kind of reminds me of the MasterCard commecials that you see today. You know, the ones that say things like . . .

Fishing pole - $18.50
Bait - $11.25
Tackle Box - $17.88
Fishing Boat - $11,000
The look on his face when he catches his first fish - Priceless
Some things take money, for everything else there's MasterCard.
... Cut to emotional scene with father's arm around son with tear in his eye . . .

The precepts of God, truley are priceless. And, they can change your life, more than riches ever will. Take some time to thank God for his Word. And, on this Labor Day weekend, thank Him for allowing you extra time to reflect upon His love.

Dear God,

Thank you for your statutes. Help us to follow them day by day. Thank you that nothing in this world can ever replace the true riches found in following You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Speak Up!

Psalm 119:13 - "With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth."

Have you ever had an opportunity to speak up for Christ, and not acted upon it? If you are a Christian, the answer is probably, yes. In fact, if you are a Christian, like me, the answer would probably be that there were several times just this week, where you had an opportunity to say something for Christ and didn't. Psalm 119:13 isn't really a verse about evangelism, but it is a verse that reminds us that we are to constantly be talking about Christ. In this verse the Psalmist says that he actually speaks the laws that came from the mouth of God.

I imagine King David and his sons at the dinner table. The King has just returned from yet another day of battle. He is tired. The day has been long. And, more than anything else he'd like to kick back and relax. But, he is also a man after God's own heart. So, in the course of conversation he talks about the law of the Lord with his children. He repeats the ten commandments and his children tell him that they have heard it a million times before. He talks about the importance observing all of the Sabbath law. And, his children tell him that they do. The point is he is talking about it. And, he is talking about God.

Maybe it didn't really go that way with David. There is certainly much evidence that this man ignored huge portions of God's law. He was certainly a flawed instrument. And yet, he knew what he should do.

None of us like the hypocritical leader who says, "Do as I say, not as I do." But, we are all guilty of hypocrisy, every time we who name the name of Christ choose to sin. So, let's not be too tough on David here. Let's point the finger back at us. For me, I'd say, "Brian, are you taking the time to share the love of Christ with those you come in contact with? Are you talking about God with your children? Are you going beyond lip service and really living out your Christian convictions? Are you willing to share Christ with the world around you no matter what the cost? With your lips, do you recount the laws that came from the very mouth of God?" How about you?

Okay, I feel sufficiently convicted.

Dear God,

Thank You that You have spoken. Thank you that Your words are not a mystery. We don't know everything about You, but we know enough to know that You are good and Your love endures forever. Thank You that we can't know everything about You, because if we did, You wouldn't be God. Give us the courage to obey Your holy law. Give us the courage to speak up for You every opportunity that we have. Help us to make You look good to the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God Has A Plan, You Have A Plan

Psalm 119:12 - "Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees."

A couple months ago, Duane Liftin, the President of Wheaton College came to speak at Wooddale Church. I had never heard Duane speak. You could tell that Duane was from the world of academia. I loved listening to his stories, and the way that he weaved his message around a central theme. At one point, Duane talked about a bumper sticker that he had seen on a road, not long ago. The bumper sticker said,

"God has a plan
You have a plan
Your's doesn't matter."

He was speaking from Psalm 127.

In Psalm 119:12, David is giving praise, once again, to God. And, he, once again, is asking for God to help teach him his decrees. So, why does David spend so much time talking about God's law? For one, that's what this Psalm is about. It's David's great psalm of praise for God's perfect law. For another it's because God's ways are truly better than our ways.

In James 4 we read about the person who thinks that they can plan their entire life apart from God. It really is an exercise in eternal futility. James writes, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Take some time today to praise God, for His will. We don't always like it. Sometimes it causes us to question. But, it's always good. Whether we believe it or not. God loves you. Allow Him to teach you His decrees.

Dear God,

Thank You that You love us. Thank you that I have a plan and You have a plan, and that mine doesn't matter. But, thank You too that even though mine doesn't matter, You care about it. And, thank You that when I stray, You stand ready to forgive.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Precious Words

Psalm 119:11 - "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Sometimes I wonder how my life would have turned out had I not had my parents. Mom and Dad are pretty special people. I think I had the greatest parents in the world. A lot of my friends might argue, but I know that God placed me in the family that He did because He knew that I needed my parents.

Throughout my life the words that my parents taught me when I was a child have stuck with me.

"Brian, be careful who you hang out with."

"Brian, watch your speed."

"Brian, be a good husband."

"Brian, there is no one in this world that doesn't deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."

"Brian, don't be afraid to share your faith."

I could go on and on. And, I've got to say, I wish I had listened to that speeding one a little bit better.

For good or for bad, and mostly for good, the words that my parents gave me when I was growing up are hidden in my heart.

Better yet, there are many of God's words hidden there too.

I am so grateful that I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. His words have been my salvation, literally, for over 30 years now. And, when I walk in His ways, life goes better. When I don't . . . well, let's just say, life doesn't work. Because, Jesus is life. And, Jesus gives life.

Dear God,

Thank you for your precious words. They are life giving. Help me to continue to hide them in my heart, and share them from the mountaintops.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

I Love My Daughter

Psalm 119:10 - "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands."

I love my daughter, Breanna. That's her with me in this picture. It was just a couple months back that we took that picture. Breanna had just walked down the aisle and received her eighth grade diploma.

Today, Breanna began high school. She'd tell you, "It was just orientation," but it was the start. She spent time in each of the classes that she'll take this quarter at Eden Prairie High School, and then to an assembly with her principal.

Breanna loves the Lord. She is excited about sharing His love with her classmates. And, she's nervous.

Today's verse talks about the righteous person who seeks God with all of her heart. That's my daughter. She's not perfect. But, I see in her a desire to know God. She desires to walk in His ways. In fact, I know of no person in my life who desires to walk in His ways as much as Bre. She just has this passion for holiness.

I'm praying that she'll continue to walk like this. I'm praying that when she looks back on her high school years that she will be able to rejoice that she stayed faithful to Christ. I'm praying that she'll transform EPHS. And, I'm praying that God will continue to transform her. May all of us seek to be people who seek God with all of our heart so that we will not stray from His commands.

Dear God,

Help Breanna to always walk with you. Help her to continually seek You with all of her heart. Help her to adore You. Help her when others make fun of her for her faith. Help her when she feels like she is standing all alone. And, help us all to be seekers of your heart.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Quest for Purity

Psalm 119:9 - "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word."

When I was in college I majored in pastoral ministries. One of the classes that all preacher boys, as they called us in the south, were required to take, was homiletics. This class taught us the art of preaching. I look back on some of the old videos that I have from that class and chuckle, as I see myself preaching with my fake southern accent. I was trying my best to be someone that I wasn't in the pulpit of my Liberty University classroom.

My first homiletics professor was Dr. Jerry Kroll. He gave me a "C" for the class. And, he also gave me a gift. Dr. Kroll required all of his students to memorize Scripture. I had excuses almost every week for why I couldn't memorize the verse. Eventually those excuses caught up with me. If I didn't memorize the remaining verses for that sememster I was going to fail the class. So, I memorized. And, Psalm 119:9 was one of them. At the time that I memorized this verse it was a chore. Today, it's a gift. I didn't realize it then, but the verses that Dr. Kroll had us memorizing were nuggets of gold that would sustain me many times throughout my adult life.

This verse tells us that if we want to live pure lives that we have to live according to the word of God. When I think about our world today, purity is one of the last words that comes to mind. It is hard to drive down the street without being continually bombarded with assaults to the mind. Turn on the radio or television and the barrage continues. Get into conversations at Starbucks and it continues still again. We are not going to find purity in the world. But, we will in the Word of God. In two days we'll take a look at verse 11, which corresponds directly with this verse. Until then, do your best to live according to the Word of God.

Dear God,

Help me to be a person of the Book, one who seeks to live my life in accordance with your priciples. Help me to never settle for Satan's lies. Help me to fervently seek you with all of my heart.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The God Who Does Not Abandon

Psalm 119:8 - "I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me."

There is some dispute over who wrote Psalm 119. Many say that it wasn't, David. After all, the author is never named. But, I believe that Psalm 119 carries with it David's distinctive writing style, and passion for God. C.H. Spurgeon, in his classic work, The Treasury of David wrote, "We believe that David wrote this Psalm It is Davidic in tone and expression, and it tallies with David's experience in many interesting points. In our youth our teacher called it 'David's pocket book,' and we incline to the opinion then expressed that here we have the royal diary written at varoius times throughout a long life. . . After long reading an author one gets to know his style and a measure of discernment is acquired by which his composition is detected even if his name be concealed; we feel a kind of critical certainy that the hand of david is in this thing, yea, that it is altogether his own."

David had watched his predecessor, King Saul, walk with God and then stray from God. He had watched his predecessor's mind become mad. He had seen the effects of the Holy Spirit being taken from the King. He had seen God utterly forsake Saul. And, now King David feared the same would happen to him.

In Psalm 51, fourteen months after his aggregious sin with Bathsheba, David confessed his sin before God. In verse 11 he wrote, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."

When I read Psalm 119:8, I am reminded of Psalm 51. David seems to be saying that he is determined to obey God, among other reasons, so that God will not forsake him. Can you imagine that fear? Can you imagine what it would be like to live in fear that God would turn His back upon you and leave you forever without Him?

This is one of the differences between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. Jesus promised his disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit upon them (John 14:26; Acts 1:8). In 2 Timothy 1:14 we read that the Holy Spirit dwells within those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ. We have been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will not be taken from us. We do not have to worry about God abandoning us. He loves us and will never leave us or forsake us.

So, let's rejoice today that God will not utterly abandon us. Yesterday I spoke to our Senior Highers. I shared with them from Revelation 21 about heaven. I had heard James McDonald, the Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois share a sermon on heaven a couple weeks back and was so moved by it that I wanted our kids to catch it. McDonald showed how in Revelation 21 God reveals much about heaven. In it we see that:

1) God is constantly making everything new (Rev. 21:5)
2) God is near (Rev. 21:3, 7)
3) Suffering is Absent (Rev. 21:4)
4) Satisfaction is Abundant (Rev. 21:6)
5) Everyone is not Going to Heaven (Rev. 21:8)

Heaven could not be further from the fear of being utterly forsaken by God. But, hell? I think David's fear of being utterly forsaken by God is a vivid description of what hell will be like?Those who taste hell's flames will feel the desperation of being
utterly and completely forsaken. And that should compel those of us who have not been abandoned, but transformed by God to share His love with as many people as possible. May all of your friends and family know the power of the transforming work of Christ in a life.

Psalm 119:8 ends the first of 22 eight verse sections that make up Psalm 119. How appropriate that David ends this section with the declaritive statement that he will obey God's decrees. He had talked about the benefits. He had talked about the trials. Now it was time to make the declaration.

May we follow with those hearts of allegiance that I mentioned in yesterday's post. May we declare as Joshua and the people of Israel did in Joshua 24:14-16 "'Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.' Then the people answered, 'Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!'"

Dear God,

Thank you that we do not have to worry about you abandoning us as you did with Saul. Thank you that your Holy Spirit dwells within us if we have allowed you to be our Savior. Help us to follow you with hearts that are fully committed. Help us to love you with pure hearts.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

My 38th Birthday Wish

Psalm 119:7 - "I will praise you with and upright heart as I learn about your righteous laws."

Today is my 38th birthday. It's been a special day. My family has gone out of their way to show their love for their dad and husband. The students in my youth ministry have showered me with love. And, God has once again reminded me of His faithfulness.

In Psalm 119:7 we read about a man who wanted to praise God with an upright heart as he learned about God's righteous laws. In my 38th year of life, I want to be more like this man. I want to be able to say that my heart is faithful and true. I want to say that God is my top priority and that I believe His laws to be righteous and worth following.

Aren't you glad that this verse doesn't say, "I will praise you with a heart that has to, because you are God and if I don't I'm in trouble. So, I'll go ahead and follow your laws that are unfair?"

If the above statement were true, then God wouldn't be worthy of our allegiance. God's laws are righteous. They are for His glory and our benefit. In fifteen years of full-time youth ministry I have talked with hundreds of students who were upset at God because they felt like God didn't want them to have any fun. This afternoon I received a phone call from one of my former students. He was a guy that was as messed up as any that I had ever worked with. I'll never foget the New Year's Eve evangelistic outreach that I was at one year when one of my dear volunteer staff members sent a student to find me. He was sitting with this student (the one who phoned today) in the stall of a church bathroom. The student was vomiting violently. The volunteer staffer would need a new shirt and a shower before the night was through. The student was cursing up a storm. He had poisened himself with alcohol and he was going on and on about how life wasn't worth living, and God was ruining his life.

How great to talk with this student years later. He's a 25-year-old father of two now. And, he knows that he was a handful back then. He joked with me today that his father told him that God's punnishment to him would be that one of his children would give him heartache as he grows up. I pray that doesn't happen. And, I pray that he has learned the lesson that God's laws are good. And, I pray that his old youth pastor will remember that lesson too.

God loves you. Where are you at in your relationship with Him? Have you given Him the opportunity to control your life, or are you still trying to run things on your own? May you pray, as I do that you will praise God with an upright heart as you learn his righteous laws.

Dear God,

Thank you that you love to prove your love for us. You do it over and over again. Help us to praise you with hearts that are upright and true. May our lives speak of our allegiance to you to everyone who comes in contact with us. May we always stand in awe at your good and righteous laws.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Some People Have To Learn The Hard Way

Psalm 119:6 - "Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all of your commands."

I am super sore tonight. My son Jeremy and I decided to take the longest bike ride of Jeremy's life. We had a great time. We rode from our home to a local park about 3 miles away and then rode all around the lake at that park. By the time our bike ride was done we had traveled about 9 miles. It was the best time I ever remember having with Jeremy. In fact, we had such a good time that we invited Jeremy's brother Chris to join us for a second ride about an hour later. And, we rode another 9 miles.

This wouldn't be a huge deal if I was in shape, but I'm not. I want to get in shape. I have good intentions. I work hard for short periods of time. And then, I revert to old habits.

In Psalm 119:6, the psalmist concludes his thought that was started in verse 5. Taken as two verses this passage would read, "Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands." I can relate. When I consider all of the commands of Christ, when I look at the demands that He places on those who follow Him, and then when I consider that I am far from steadfast in obeying Him, I too am put to shame. I'm so sore today because I know that it would be best for me if I worked out regularly. When I finally do it, I'm put to shame. But, if I keep doing it, I'll reap rewards. And, if I keep following Christ, I won't be put to shame.

Following Christ involves daily dying to self. It's a hard thing to do. But, it's worth it. So, today I choose to follow Christ. To allow His Spirit to reign in me. No matter how much it hurts, it's worth it. Because, God is doing a new work in me.

Dear God,

Help me to be so steadfast in following you that a day will come where I won't be put to shame when I consider all your commands. Thank you that you are patient with me. Help me to show love to others like you have to me.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

The Yearning

Psalm 119:5 - "Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees."

When I was a child there was nothing that my heart desired more than an Atari video game system. It was the must have Christmas item of 1977. One by one I watched my friends acquire this system. And, the more friends that acquired it, the more my desire for it grew. Have you ever desired something like that?

Our family never purchased an Atari. Eventually my desire for an Atari was replaced with the desire for even greater video game systems. That was replaced by the desire for a cool car, a girlfriend, a great job, etc.

I don't know that I truly felt a desire for God that was as intense as my desire for things until my freshman year of college. I loved money, and my desire for things had convinced me that I was to pursue a degree that would put me on the fast track for career advancement and high yield investments. That freshman year a speaker came to our college campus and talked about our desire for God. I realized that my yearning for God was minimal, at best. God wanted my all. Real lordship demanded full hearted devotion.

These past few days, as I've studied Psalm 119:1-5, I've been continually reminded about God's desire for me to yearn for Him more than anything else. I think this is the idea that the psalmist is trying to convey when he begins verse five with the word, Oh. You can almost hear the urgency in his voice as your read this passage. The psalmist has been sharing with us about those who are blessed and the way that they walk. He has called these people blameless and seekers of God. And, it seems to be that even the psalmist longed to be this kind of man.

So, how's the yearning?

Does your heart yearn for the things of God?

If not, ask God to help develop in you a passion for the things of God. Ask God to help you get your eyes off this world, and all of its trappings, and onto Him. He longs for you to long for Him.

Dear God,

Help me to long for you. Help me to be like the psalmist, and to be one who can't stand the thought of not pleasing you. Help my life to be a praise to you. Help my life to marked as one that is characterized by the touch of God in it. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

You

Psalm 119:4 - "You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed."

You.

Three letters in our English language that convey so much.

The word, you, can carry with it, so many different emotions. The letters can bring about stress, when we are thinking of one who makes our life difficult. The letters can make our heart warm as we think about positive memories with people we love. The letters can melt our heart as we think about that one who has captured our heart. In the movie Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy, in the film's climax pours out his love for Elizabeth with these words,

". . . My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

So, what do you think of when you hear the word, You, and the You refers to God? Are you terrified? Are you in awe? Are you grateful? Are you bewitched, body and soul, and do you love, love, love Him? Or, is it some combination of the above? Maybe it's none?

But, today, the word, You stopped me dead in my tracks.

Psalm 119:4 speaks of God; the only God. And it is God, who has laid down His precepts. God is serious. God expects that His law be fully obeyed.

You.

You!

This is huge. This is God, we're talking about.

You, Creator and Sustainer of life, Ruler of the universe, Savior, Master, Lover of my soul, the One who knows the number of hairs on my head, the archenemy of Satan, the One who gives and the One who takes away, the Good Shepherd, the Lily of the Valley, the Champion, the Man of Sorrows, my Advocate, my Judge, my God, You, have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.

I stand in awe. . . of You.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are . . . and I am not.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

They Do Nothing Wrong

Psalm 119:3 - "They do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways."

The 176 day journey continues today with Psalm 119:3.

Over the past couple of days we have read about those who are blessed by God. They are the ones who keep His commands.

In verse three of Psalm 119 we read that these people do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways. How cool would it to be one who does nothing wrong?

Nothing.

I can hardly grasp that concept. It seems like not a day goes by that I am not presented by hundreds of opportunities to do wrong. And not a day goes by where I get it right all day long. And yet, this passage suggests that those who walk according to the law; those who seek Christ with all of their heart, are capable of doing nothing wrong.

Nothing.

And, if we could really live life in this type of perfection then we would be God. And, we can't. So, again, maybe the point is that apart from His strength and His power working through us, we are capable of doing nothing right.

Nothing.

You may say, "But what about those who don't love Christ? They do good things."

Yes, they do. But if it is not done for God's ultimate glory, it is not done for the right reason. God created us for His pleasure and for His glory. Our lives are to be lived as a sacrifice of worship to Him. So, we are incapable of doing right when we walk apart from His ways.

1 John 3:9 says, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

1 John 5:18 says, "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."

Do Christians sin?

Of course.

So, how do we reconcile these verses that say that no one who is born of God will continue to sin? These verses have always bothered me. Because, I know that I am a Christian, and I know that I sin.

In 1978, Paul Van Gorder wrote a book entitled, In The Family - Studies in First John. What follows is a long excerpt from that book, but it describes, I believe very well, in great detail this struggle that we have as Christians between our old nature (sin) and our new nature (godliness).

"Consider, please, what this verse (1 John 3:9) does not say. It does not say that a person who is born of God never commits an occasional act of sin, but he does not make it his trade or practice, the course of his life. Again the verb 'commit' is in the present tense, indicating continuous action. J.N. Darby translates this verse, 'Whoever has been begotten of God does not practice sin.; This in now way conflicts with John's previous statement, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us' (1 John 1:8). There is a difference between having sin and doing sin.

Here is the question: Why does the believer not practice sin? John says it is because 'His seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' The new nature dwells in every Christian. Some translations capitalize the word 'His,' implying that it is God's seed that remains in the believer. This seed is the new nature, the new man formed within the soul at salvation. That which is born of God in the believer, the new man, cannot sin. God's seed abides within the believer; it cannot become defective.

I wonder if something else might be true here also? In 1 Peter 1:23 we read, 'Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.' The same truth is declared by James, 'Of His own will begot He us with the word of truth . . .' (James 1:18). The Lord Jesus Himself described the character of those who do not believe on Him: 'And ye have not His word abiding in you' (John 5:38). This is the engrafted word by which we have been made partakers of the divine nature (James 1:21). Nothing grows out of a carrot seed except a carrot; an apple seed brings forth an apple tree. So James inquires, 'Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain yield both salt water and fresh' (James 3:12). Because God's seed remains in the believer, it is impossible for a true Christian to practice sin. He no longer desires it. To live a wicked life, therefore, is foreign to true conversion.

Now, I am not ignoring the fact that the old nature is still within the believer. 'That which is born of the flesh is flesh' (John 3:6). Nor am I denying that 'the carnal mind is enmity against God' (Romans 8:7). This old nature is sinful, and it can produce nothing else. But the new nature is of the Lord, for we are 'partakers of the divine nature.' It is as incapable of sin as God is. When the Christian recognizes that he has a dual nature - one of sin and the other of God - he will be able to face life realistically. He will not want to dishonor his Heavenly Father by allowing anything to remain in his life that does not proceed from the new life. When on occasion the old nature asserts itself, and the believer lapses and allows an act of sin by thought, word, or deed, he can immediately do as 1 John 1:9 instructs, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'"

I told you it was a long one! But did you catch the power in Van Gorder's words at towards the end of the last paragraph? "When the Christian recognizes that he has a dual nature - one of sin and the other of God - he will be able to face life realistically. He will not want to dishonor his Heavenly Father by allowing anything to remain in his life that does not proceed from the new life." That's what these verses in Psalm 119 have been about the past three days. Those who walk with God will want to please Him. We want to give back to the God who has so lavishly loved us. We want to adore Him. We want to not continue in a pattern of sin.

May it be so.

May it be so.

And, may we do nothing wrong.

Nothing.

Dear God,

That word nothing is a tough one. Because, I know that I am so guilty of doing many things that displease you. Thank you for the reminder that your Spirit dwells in me. Your seed dwells within me. I have been born anew. Help me to live like it. Help me to allow you to reign.

Thank you that nothing is impossible for You -- even transforming me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Lessons from a Used Car Saleman

Psalm 119:2 - "Blessed are they who keep His statues and seek Him with all their heart."

To say that I felt a bit hypocritical yesterday as I wrote about being blessed is an understatement. You see, when I was writing about God's blessing, I was also feeling bitter.

Why?

Because, it feels like our entire financial world is being rocked(BLESSED, it could be our health). I chipped my tooth on a tootsie pop yesterday, and it will cost $400 to get it fixed (BLESSED, I have insurance). We have school shopping to do for four kids (BLESSED, my wife is an incredible bargain shopper and has already found great prices on almost everything that we need). We returned from a wonderful vacation (BLESSED, unlike the majority of the world we actually got to take a vacation) on Saturday. I was driving our van. It made it over 1300 miles without incident (BLESSED). On Sunday morning, as I was driving to church with Breanna and Chris I noticed a very loud noise coming from the front of our van. I'd heard the noise before. On a prior vehicle, the noise resulted in a tire falling off of the car as I was driving and ruining the car (BLESSED, because I could have been killed). After church, I took the van to a service station. My engine light was on too, so they ran a full diagnostic. The result? I need a new transmission and new wheel bearings. The noise was due to the fact that our wheel bearings are going to give out. The cost was estimated to be at least $4000. Our van has over 164,000 miles on it (BLESSED - That's a ton of miles! BLESSED - We have a van).

So, I was upset. We do not have any money to put towards another vehicle. With four kids, one income, and Christian school education for three of our kids (BLESSED - We have been given so much) there just isn't enough money to go around for another car payment.

Cyndi and I drove to the car dealership where we purchased my car a few years ago (BLESSED - We have two vehicles). When we got there I put on my best car buying face. I didn't want to purchase anything, because I knew we couldn't, but wanted to at least hear what we might be able to afford.

We were greeted by a used car salesman. And, he totally fit the stereotype. Except for the fact that he had told his boss to go home, because his boss was working too much, and he thought his boss needed to spend time with his family.

Over the course of the next hour, our salesman opened up to us. He told us of his divorce a few years back. His wife ran off with his best friend. He told us about his two kids who are in college. He told us of his own financial crisis. He was two weeks away from losing his home. And, he told us about how God had provided. He found this job around the time that he was about to lose his home. He had one great month that allowed him to make up for three months on his mortgage. He doesn't know how he is going to make it this month, but he is trusting God. He told us that he had read a book about praising God in everything. "And so," he said with a smile, "I am praising God for my children. I am praising God when I make a sale. I am praising God for my financial troubles. I am praising God for my divorce. I am praising God for the years that I have had in my home. I am praising God for my physical ailments. I'm praising God for it all. And, it's transforming my life."

I was convicted. Here I sat as the pastor, upset at God for letting my van get wrecked, and I was being taught by a man who has lost almost everything. (BLESSED)

So, what about Psalm 119:2?

Here's what I've learned so far.

1) God really wants me to understand what it means to be blessed. He has already blessed me, but He wants me to know how much more blessed are those who seek Him and obey Him.

2) Jared Falkanger, one of my students sent me Jeremiah 29:11 today on my Facebook account. It's a verse that I am reminded of at least once a week. But, today, I recalled Jeremiah 29:11-13, which says,

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

God wants me to seek Him with all of my heart. It's talked about in Deuteronomy 4:29 too.

3) God really wants us to KEEP his commands. He talks about it in verses 22 and 146 of Psalm 119 as well. He also talks about it in Deuteronomy 6:17. Jesus told his disciples to keep his commands in John 14:23 (This was just a few days before He was crucified). Right before David died, he told his son Solomon, the heir to the throne to "walk in His ways and keep His decrees . .. " in 1 Kings 2:3.

4) I can't keep the commands of God without the Holy Spirit's work in my life (Ezekiel 36:27).

Finally, I read about King Hezekiah today. In 2 Chronicles 31:21 it says, "In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered."



Dear God,

Help me to obey you like Hezekiah. Help me to follow you even when no one else in the world is. Help me to seek you with all of my heart. May my life be a living sacrifice. And, may I always remember the lesson of the used car salesman. Please give me the strength to praise you in everything.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Blessed

Psalm 119:1 - "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord."

I don't know about you, but when I think about those who walk with God, I think about spiritual giants. I think about Elijah, walking along the road and then being escorted into heaven by a flaming chariot. I think about Enoch, another man who tasted not death, but was brought into the very presence of God. I think about Abraham and that burning bush experience that left him changed forever, and began a new path of walking with God. I think about David, the man after God's own heart. But, Brian? No, I don't think about Brian. And, I wish that I did.

I want to be a man who is known for walking with the Lord. I want to be known as a man who walks according to the law of the Lord. I began my spiritual journey of mediating on a verse in Psalm 119 each day for the next 176 days, this morning.

Today's verse is a tough one. It's about more than just walking with God. It's about being a person whose ways are blameless. And, how does one do that? I don't know about you, but blameless isn't a word that I use to describe myself.

And, maybe that's the point. Maybe what the Psalmist is trying to tell us is that none of us are blameless. And, maybe that's why the hope of a Messiah, and our assurance that Christ is the Messiah is so beautiful. We, who desperately needed a Savior, have one. And, through Him, and through His forgiveness we can experience the walk of the blameless. We, who are far from blameless can be viewed as blameless before a Holy God.

That's what a relationship with Christ does. So, if we look at Psalm 119:1 backwards, we end with the word "blessed." And that's what I am.

I am not blameless in my eyes. I am not one who walks in the law of the Lord. I try. But, I fail so often. But, I am blessed. And, I'm blessed because of Jesus.

Psalm 1 begins with the word "blessed" too. It says, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2)

So, I'm blessed. And I've begun this journey of biblical mediation. And, Psalm 1 tells me that the blessed person mediates day and night on the law of the Lord.

Jesus talked about being blessed too. The most famous occurrence of this is in a passage of Scripture that we know as the Beatitudes. Matthew 5:3-12 tells us,

3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

In Luke 11:28 Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Like a rebellious child, so many times I think that I know better than God. That my ways are better than His. Talk about the ultimate in arrogance. If I'd just listen to the Word of God and obey it life would be better.

Want more passages that correlate with this type of blessing that Psalm 119:1 speaks of? Check out Psalm 112:1, 128:1, John 13:17, James 1:25 and Revelation 22:14. The Bible is full of practical teaching on this subject.

In Ezekiel 11, God was calling His people back to Himself. In verse 20, God said, "Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God."

Did you ever think that when we fail to walk in God's ways that we fail to allow God to be God? It's time. It's time to obey. Its time to walk in God's ways. It's time to recognize that blessed people, people who have had the grace of God lavishly poured upon them, need to live like blessed people.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your blessing. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your work on the cross. Thank you for your resurrection power. Thank you for your transformative power. Thank you that you see me through the lenses of your forgiving power and not as a hostile judge. Thank you that you have the power to transform me. Help me to believe that with you working in me that the transformation can occur.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

We Are Attempting Bat Evacuation

I have a new respect for Batman. In the movie Batman Begins, we find out that Bruce Wayne became Batman after overcoming his intense fear of bats. His fear developed when he fell into a well as a child. The well was full of bats that swarmed above young Bruce as he screamed in fear.

Last week, I encountered a bat. The bat was HUGE. He must have had a wing span of 10 feet. He had long vampire like teeth and beedy black eyes. And, he wanted to kill me. At least that's what I thought when I saw it.

It was a little before midnight when, at the rental home that we were in at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference I saw it. He flew a few inches away from my face out of the bedroom and into the living room. At first I thought it was a bird. The lights were off. When I switched the light on, the bat came toward me again. This time, sure it was a bat, I did what any self-respecting man would do. I screamed like a little girl. My wife was in the next room and wondering what her husband was screaming about. I told her, "There is a HUGE bat in our house. It is trying to attack me." She couldn't stop laughing. When she told me to just get it out of the house I told her of my intense fear of bats. This is one creature that I could not get out.

We called the front desk at the resort. They called in a teenage security guard. Twenty long minutes later he arrived; tennis raquet in hand. And, I . . . well, you'll have to watch this youtube video to see for yourself.

I'm ashamed. So, very ashamed.

176: A Spiritual Discipline

My family and I spent last week in Michigan. It was our annual vacation to Marantha Bible and Missionary Conference. You can find out more about Maranatha by following this link: Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference. One of the things that I love about going to Maranatha is the time that I have to be spiritually fed by others. I also love the walks on the beach and the personal quiet times that I have with God. This year, I felt like God was telling me to take an in depth look at the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. So, for the next 176 days, I'm going to try something very different. The plan is to meditate upon one verse in Psalm 119 each day. And then, I want to record whatever it is that I feel that God is teaching me from that verse on my blog.

There may be some days where I record a lot. There will be other days that there isn't much there. I'm excited to see what God does in my life as I take this extended look at Psalm 119. I can't imagine that there won't be a change in my life. And, I'm excited to invite you to join me on this journey.

The journey begins tomorrow morning.

You can read Psalm 119 in it's entirity by following this link: Psalm 119.

Wooddale Church Now Streaming and Archiving Services

Many of you have either called, e-mailed or written to let me know how much you appreciated Leith Anderson's sermon, When Calamity Comes To Where We Live. Now, you can watch Wooddale's sermons each week by following this link: Wooddale Church Video Sermon Archive. Enjoy!

Leith Anderson's Sermon on I-35W Bridge Collapse

Many of you have sent me e-mails or phoned in response to the tragedy that took place in Minneapolis last week. No one that I knew was involved in the accident. That said, I, along with most people who live in the Twin Cities have been profoundly impacted by Wednesday's event. In some ways we all feel like we have been affected by this event. I spoke on the tragedy in our Senior High group on Sunday. Our students had such a need to process the bridge collapse.

Leith Anderson preached to the congregation on the event. I found Leith's sermon to be comforting, compelling, and challenging. You can listen to his message by following this link:

When Calamity Comes To Where We Live.

Catastrophic

It's hard to put into words what I am feeling right now. Earlier tonight, while I was driving to our Wednesday evening Bible Study, I turned on my radio. I had it tuned into KFAN, the sports radio station in Minneapolis. What I was hearing had nothing to do with sports. The announcers were talking about my city. They were talking about a catastrophe. They were talking about a major bridge collapse. They were talking about a bridge that almost everyone that I know drives on a regular basis. The 35W bridge crossing the Mississippi River was gone.

I switched the station.

Now listening to WCCO, the local talk leader, I heard the frantic reports of various eyewitnesses. Trucks were on fire. People were trapped under rubble. A school bus, full of children, was on that bridge. People were dying.

I arrived at the home where our high schoolers would soon be arriving. The television set was already on. And, I watched. I sat in stunned silence as the images flooded across the screen. The images reminded me of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A's. The Interstate Series, as it was called, was suspended when a giant earthquake made rubble of San Francisco's highway system. This compared. But, we are in Minneapolis, and there was no earthquake.

As the students arrived, we watched. And then we sang songs of worship to our God. And then, we prayed. I loved listening to the heartfelt prayers of high school students, as they cried out to God on behalf of those who would never again see their loved ones. Our students understood that in this most awful of days, Jehovah was still on the throne.

As I get ready for bed, I'm shaken up. We cancelled our bowling activity that was scheduled for after Bible Study. We all felt a need to be close to the ones we love. When I arrived home, I held my kids. My younger two boys wanted to snuggle in Daddy's arms. I thought about the people gathering at Hennepin County Medical Center waiting for word on their loved ones. I thought about those at North Memorial Hospital, and my friend Chris who moved back to the Twin Cities today from Chicago. He had sent out an appeal for help moving. He lives right by North Memorial. I thought about the police, fire fighters, rescue personnel and city officials. I'm full of questions. And, I'm trusting.

Lord,

I don't understand why you allowed this tragedy today. I marvel at the way that you protected 60 kids on a bus, and I wonder why you allowed others to die. Come alongside of our city tonight. Come alongside of our state. Come alongside of all those who are hurting. And, use us as instruments of Your healing.

In Christ's Precious Name,

Amen.

Praise God!

I just got off the phone with my Mom and Dad and the news "couldn't be better." Mom's visit with the wound care doctor revealed that she will NOT need to have an amputation. She is going to heal. It will take time, (weeks, maybe months) but there is no blood poisoning. She will begin physical therapy tomorrow to help strengthen her muscles.

Thanks for your prayers.

Continued Prayers for Mom

Thank you all for your prayers for my Mom. She has been back in Illinois since Saturday and was able to see her primary doctor yesterday. She is seeing a wound specialist today. While in Turkey Mom developed a number of sores on her body due to being in bed for so long. Those sores have become infectious. It is not a good thing for a diabetic to have leg sores, and Mom has several of them. Her dad lost his legs due to blood poisining that developed in his legs. We are fearful that Mom could be headed towards a similar path. We'll find out later on today. I'll keep you all posted. But, we'd sure appreciate the prayers.

Last Post From Istanbul

It's happening. It's really happening. I think each one of us have taken turns over the past couple of weeks wondering if we would ever be leaving Istanbul. And now, it really is happening. We're sitting in Mom's hospital room with keen awareness that sometime in the next couple of hours we'll be leaving this room.

So, we thank God.

Thank you God, for a miraculous healing. Thank you that what we were told was Legionella, and then were told was pneumonia, really turned out just to be a severe lung infection; an infection that you chose to heal. Thank you for healing Mom's encephilitus too.

Thank you God, for friends and family. We've been told so many times throughout this ordeal about how strong we are. But, God, you know we were weak. And, it was the prayers of our friends and family that sustained us. So, thanks for strong friends. For, godly friends. Thanks for their love and support.

Thank you God that you are still the God of miracles. You are still the God of mystery. You are still the God who will do as You please. Thank you for being You.

Thank you God for Turkey and the Turkish people. Thank you for allowing us to be in this land that so desperately needs You. Thank you for allowing us to get a bigger vision for what this world that you created looks like.

Thank you God for health. We so often times take for granted that tomorrow will come. Thank you that you sustain us day by day. Help us not to forget that our lives depend not upon us, but you.

Thank you God for grace. We don't deserve it, and You have lavished it upon us.

Thank you God for home. We are excited to go back where you have allowed us to live. We're thankful for the friends and family that are there. We are thankful for the lives that you have given us there. We are grateful for the homes that you have provided. We are excited to get back.

Thank you God for provision. You have taken care of our needs. We are grateful for the way that you take care of your children.

In the Precious name of Jesus,

Brian (for the rest of the family).

We're Coming Home!

The good news just keeps getting better! Mom has had another great day at the hospital. The doctors have given clearance for Mom to be released tomorrow. Jennifer asked for prayer earlier today that we would all get flights home on Saturday. God has answered that prayer! I'll be flying Air France home and be in Minnesota on Saturday evening. Mom, Dad, and Jennifer are all flying Turkish Airlines. They have a direct flight from Istanbul to O'Hare Airport. Our flights are just 30 minutes apart.

Our final prayer request is that a doctor from International SOS will be able to fly with Mom. We have yet to get confirmation on this.

Thank you again for all that you have done. We value your prayers and e-mails.

In Him,

Brian

Worship His Majesty!

As my mom and I sit in her fifth floor hospital room eating lunch, the window is slightly ajar and the gentle breeze cools the room. Shortly after we bow our heads and thank God for our meal, we hear the call to worship Allah ring out through the city of Istanbul. A man with a beautiful voice chants Arabic phrases that declare the greatness of Allah. Few people in Istanbul understand Arabic, but they dutifully file into the mosques dotting the landscape of this city.

A few moments ago, my mom and I were singing praises declaring the greatness of our God. Our clarion call is not heard across an entire city; it simply fills the sterile walls of her solitary hospital room. But the greatness of our God--the God of the Bible revealed in and through the person of Jesus Christ--surrounds the Turks. His majesty is proclaimed in the white, fluffy clouds that pepper the sky and the birds that sing of His glory and the faces of Turks who have been made in His image and are stamped with the fingerprint of Almighty God.

And so, this afternoon, we want to first and foremost offer praise to our God for what He has done. Here are some of my mom's most recent accomplishments through the strength and power of God:

1. She was able to walk around her room today, taking slow, but steady steps.

2. All of the tubes have been removed from her body. Even the IV port has been extracted!

3. She has not needed any nebulizer treatments today.

4. The doctors have said my mom is stable enough to fly back home this Saturday! She will need to be accompanied by a medical professional in case of an emergency.

Our greatest prayer request right now is that we can obtain five tickets on the one and only non-stop flight this Saturday from Istanbul to Chicago. My mom and the medical professional will need to fly business or first class, but my dad, brother, and I are more than content to fly coach. This is a lot to arrange and request in a very short amount of time, but I am confident that God will work out all of the details if it be His will. And we will worship and extol the majesty of our great God regardless.

Thank you for your continued prayers and all of the encouraging comments that you leave. You are all such a blessing to our entire family.

Our Gratitude,
Jenny (on behalf of my brother, dad, and mom too)

She's Walking!

It's been another good day for Mom. She slept through most of the night and has been doing her physical therapy. The therapists are working on helping her walk. The pulmonologist tells us that Mom's lungs are now clear. Mom has been in great spirits throughout the day.

Thanks for your continued prayers. We are still expecting that Mom will be able to fly home on Saturday!

Dad spent another night at the hospital with Mom. He stayed with her through lunch and is now back at the hotel. Mom continues to listen to WMBI via the Internet. I think all of the doctors and nurses like the music that they hear as they walk into the room.

God is good.

In Him,

Brian

A Walk Into Church History

Istanbul used to be known as Constantinople. According to Wikipedia, "Constantinople (Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολις, Constantinopolis, or Πόλις, Polis) was the capital of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Byzantine/East Roman Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). It was officially renamed to its modern Turkish name Istanbul in 1930."

I told you in an earlier post that the city is literally full of mosques. It is also the home to Hagia Sophia. This beautiful church, constructed by the Emperor Justinian in 537 AD is one of the most important churches in the world. It was here that so much of what we affirm as church doctrine was debated. The early church fathers wrestled with key doctrines like the deity of Christ, Christ's divine and human wills, and creeds at this very church. It was here that the Nicene Creed was reaffirmed after many sought to discredit it. It was here that the doctrine of the Trinity was upheld.

Jenny and I had a chance to take the tram to this beautiful area of the city tonight. We stood inside the outer court of the Blue Mosque that stands across the street from the Hagia Sophia. It was constructed to show that Islam could produce a mosque more beautiful than the Hagia Sophia. It was actually modelled after Hagia Sophia, but built more than 1000 years later. It's larger and looks more impressive on the outside, but can't compare to the beauty of Hagia Sophia on the inside. Justinian had the architects of Hagia Sophia fill it with beautiful mosaics. It was lit by thousands of candles at night. The mosaics were of famous stories from the Bible. It's said that when you were in the church at night, it was as if the mosaics were moving when the candle light hit them. Hagia Sophia was captured by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II in 1453. He ordered that it be converted into a Mosque and that the mosaics be covered up. It remained a mosque until 1935.

So, why the history lesson on Hagia Sophia tonight? Well, as I get ready for bed, (it's 12:05 AM here), I am struck by the fact that the same God that we have prayed to all week long for mom is the God to whom men and women have been praying to from the beginning of time. We are in a country which has only 3000 known believers in it. There are 72.6 million people in this country. We're here for a reason. Many of you have shared that in your posts. If we could bring just one person closer to Jesus (He whose divinity was upheld by church councils in this very city) through Mom's illness that would mean the world to us. We've become close with many people here. From the doctors and nurses to the families of other patients that we waited with together for days in the ICU waiting rooms, from the store owners whose businesses we frequent for bottled water, to the restaurant workers we see often at our favorite places, from the hotel staff to the people we see on the Metro, God has allowed us to rub elbows with so many who need his touch. Please pray that God will give us wisdom, and that he will give us courage to stand for Him in this wonderful country, no matter how tough things may be.

We continue to praise God for Mom's health. She continues to long to hear from you. To all of my cousins, relatives, long lost friends, and those so close to Mom, thank you for writing. She prays for each one of you as I read your comments to her. She really does love all of you. And, your comments and e-mails have been like manna from heaven for us.

In His Love,

Brian

Another Good Day

It's been another good day with Mom. We are sitting in her hospital room with her and she is talking a mile a minute.

When we arrived at the hospital today, Dad was sitting next to Mom's bed, and the two of them were listening to WMBI Radio from Chicago on my computer. They were listening to the live feed of "Songs in the Night." The program designed for insomniacs in Chicago was bringing peace and calm to mom.

Asking you all to leave mom comments has been the best medicine for her, except for when you all are sleeping:>) She's continually asking us this morning if there are any new e-mails or comments. We've been saying, "Mom, it's 3:30 in the morning there. No one is awake." Then 15 minutes later she'll ask again. She has done this all morning.

Mom has also been enjoying reading her Bible. She had Jenny read her the book of Colossians. Then she read it aloud. Then she wanted to hear it read from the Bible I have on iTunes.

Mom also began physical therapy today. She has spent time sitting in a wheel chair. She has also stood on her feet twice. This is a big part of the recuperative process.

Mom continues to talk nonstop. She is realizing some of the things that she did in ICU were less than appropriate. She can't believe that she pulled out her own ventilator and feeding tube. She's enjoying looking out the window at the Seagulls and butterflies. She's also enjoying the hospital meals.

Thanks again for your prayers! And, please keep those comments coming. After all, Jenny, Dad and I have become Mom's news bureau.

In Him,

Brian

Message from My Mom

My mom had a quick message she wanted me to publish on the blog. She is so eager to thank you all for your prayers in person.

"Thank you, my dear prayer warriors. I'm getting ready to come home soon!"

We will write a more detailed update later. Thank you, again, for all of your comments!

Leaving Mom and Dad

Jenny and I are leaving American Hospital . . . and, we're so happy!

We couldn't have had a better day with our Mom. She is now in her own private room. She has a door that can close. There is a couch for Dad to sleep on. There is wireless Internet in the room. (I'm leaving my computer with Dad so that he can continue to read your comments to Mom). We are a little bit jealous because the hospital room is about 10 steps better than the little European Hotel that we are staying in. But, we are thrilled. Mom has worked so hard. She has earned this.

As we leave we again thank God for you. Your prayers have been our encouragement day and night. Randy, I played Mom the song that you sang in an Octet at church last year. Yeah, I know, crazy, but I've got your song on my iPod. Proud brother. Randy, that song was such a ministry to Mom today. Who knew that when you sang and recorded that song that it would be played many times at a hospital in Istanbul. The truth of the words of that song have been an encourgement to Mom. Mom was enjoying listening to these words and looking at pictures of family on my computer.

As we leave Dad is sitting next to Mom's bed, reading an article from Reader's Digest to his wife of 45 years. He is so happy. It's fun watching him serve her in this way. He is happy to spend his evenings with Mom on an uncomfortable couch.

To God be all the glory and praise.

In His Love,

Brian

Sacrifice of Praise

Throughout my life, whenever I faced a trial, my mom would quote Hebrews 13:5 to me. It reads, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise...." While she lavished her love and compassion on me, identifying with my pain, she would not allow me to wallow in self-pity for too long. Though I always expected it, I did not always enjoy having her gentle rebuke from Scripture. But she was always right, and those words renewed life to my weary soul. Real, genuine praise always requires a sacrifice. Praise is God's antidote to the pain.

I have never understood that difficult truth more clearly than I have in the past two weeks, and I have never seen it embodied more fully than I have in my mom's life as she lays in her hospital bed.

After witnessing the fear and confusion that bombarded my mom's mind and body last evening, we decided that we needed to spend today singing hymns of praise to God, reading Scripture passages, and reading all of your blog comments. My mom was in some pain, though she couldn't quite articulate where. She kept her eye tightly shut through our worship service. Her mouth was slightly open, and I could see the words of the hymns form on her tongue and lips ever so tenderly. She gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head each time I asked her if she would like me to sing another hymn to her. I read all of the Scriptures you have been leaving in your blog comments or sending me through e-mails, and her thirsty soul absorbed them like a sponge.

As Brian read aloud ALL of the comments you have left over the past several days, my mom verbalized "praise Jesus!" and "thank you, Lord!" She repeated each of your names, recalled her connections to each of you--from our physical family and our church family, to Wheaton Academy and Wooddale connections, to our personal friends from many years--and her heart soared as her smile grew wider with each word we read.

A fragrance sweeter than perfume was released from the ICU today. It rose above the Amerikan Hastanesi, soared higher than Istanbul, Turkey, reached beyond the earth, and transcended the heavens until it landed at the feet of Jesus. This fragrance is the beautiful sacrifice of praise.

Thank you for interceding on our behalf. My desire is that you may know the glory and greatness of our majestic God as a result!

With Love and Thanksgiving,
Jenny

We're Watching God Answer Your Prayers

What an awesome day we are having with Mom.

I'm sitting next to her bedside right now. She has been talking for the past 5 hours. She listened as I read each of the comments that you have left and she wanted to tell me wonderful things about each one of you. You all have lifted Mom's spirits today like you wouldn't believe. Isn't the Body of Christ a beautiful thing?

We're still waiting for Mom to be moved to her room, but the doctors assure us that this will happen by the end of the day. She is looking so well today, that Mom's lung doctor told us that she will most likely be home by the end of the week! How is that for an evacuation plan?

Praise be to God for His amazing work in Mom's life.

I just asked Mom if she wanted to say anything to you and she says, "Thank you! I love you!"

A Room of Her Own!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have been praying and leaving comments for mom. Dad had a great night with mom last night. It's 10:45 AM here and I'm typing in the hospital dining room. When I arrived this morning I found Dad sitting by Mom's side with a smile on his face. The doctors had removed Mom's medicine tubes over the night. We've been told that Mom will be transferred to her own private room today! She is now taking all of her meds orally, and she's cooperating with the doctors and nurses. What a change from yesterday.

Jenny and I have been talking to her throughout the day. She is very tired and not very responsive, but she's sweet when she does respond. She has loved hearing the comments, e-mails and the Bible verses that so many of you have shared with her. We are all encouraged to hear from so many people. You are ALL gifts from God in our lives.

I'll post again later today with an update from the rest of the day, but I had to get this out quickly after yesterday's tough post.

God bless,

Brian

Toughest Day Yet

It's 10:40 PM and Jenny and I are just getting back to the hotel. This has been a long, hard day.

This morning I went to the hospital while Dad and Jenny went to the Union Church of Istanbul. They had a wonderful time being encouraged spiritually. The pastor spoke on the Rich, Young, Ruler. (Mark 10:17-31) While they were there, I went to the hospital to see mom. I had some good conversations with her, but her mind is just playing such tricks on her. She is convinced that her doctors and nurses are trying to kill her. These paranoid thoughts both cripple her and make her defiant. She refuses to take her medicine. She refuses to trust people. It is soooooo hard. She also refuses to eat solid food. The doctors have told her that if she would just eat her food, take her medicine and cooperate that she could be released to a private room. With her mind as confused as it is, she just can't cooperate. Please keep praying. This is a scary thing to watch, and it causes such pain.

Dad and Jenny came by after church and took turns spending time with mom. She was just as defiant with them as she was with everyone else. Although, she did let Dad try to feed her some dinner. And, she agreed to take her medicine when I gave it to her. But, these are just momentary victories. She'll eat a couple bites one meal and then skip the next. She'll take her medicine one time and then skip the next dose.

Now, Mom is wanting to pull out her final tubes. If she does, she will hurt herself. In her agitated state, the doctors felt it best to sedate her. Dad just couldn't bear to leave mom another night, so he talked the ICU staff into letting him stay. He'll have to sit up in a chair the entire night with her. He insisted on doing this. Jen and I will leave for the hospital early tomorrow morning. We'll catch the metro and go relieve Dad. We've become quite the experts on the Istanbul Metro System. If you ever visit the city, we'd be happy to be your tour guides.

Dad has decided that he wants to do whatever it takes to get mom home as soon as possible. He's been in contact with the doctors from International SOS. The SOS doctors will contact us sometime tomorrow or Tuesday with an evacuation plan. Please pray that if it is in Mom's best interest that God will open the door for this to happen very soon.

Mom has really enjoyed hearing about the people who leave comments on the blog. I'm going to print up all of your comments tomorrow and read them to mom in hopes that it will help her snap back into reality. (Randy and Lori, she's looking forward to those Michigan Blueberries!) Thanks for your love and concern!

Tired, but still trusting...

Jenny and Brian

Bye Bye Feeding Tube

I'd love to write that all of your prayers have been answered and that mom is now in her own hospital room. I can't do that. But, I can say that her feeding tube is out and her voice continues to improve. We were with mom from 10:30-4:45 today and she was awake the entire time. Mom enjoyed talking with us. She continues to experience great fear about her doctors and nurses, but we are able to reason with her.

Mom pulled out her own feeding tube about an hour before we entered her room today. She has been quite the stubborn patient. We have asked mom to not pull out any other tubes. She was able to have some soup today for lunch, and she's looking forward to dinner tonight.

Please pray as she continues to struggle with such intense fear. We are hoping that tomorrow will be the day that she moves from ICU to her private room, and we believe that this may really happen.

The doctor told us that mom does NOT have legionella. She had a different type of pneumonia, which responded very well to the medication. He says that we are very lucky that her lungs have healed so quickly. We know that this has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with the power of God as demonstrated in answered prayer. Thank you for your prayers. He believes that she does have encephalitis and that the encephalitis is contributing to the confusion.

We had a good time reading Scripture to mom today. She enjoyed what you have shared. I let mom know everyone who posts comments to the blog and e-mails us about the fact that you are praying. This has been a HUGE boost to mom. She enjoys hearing all of your comments. I even tell her about the people that she doesn't know that are commenting, and she loves hearing from you too.

Tomorrow morning Dad and Jenny will be going to the Union Church of Istanbul while I go to the hospital to be with mom. They will join us after church. Dad and Jenny could sure use encouragement from the body of Christ. All of your e-mails and comments are a blessing to them too.

Keep praying!

In Him,

Brian

Breakthrough . . . and Disappointment

So many of you have been praying that we would have extended visiting hours with mom. Today, that finally happened. Apparently Mom was quite agitated with her doctors last night, and very uncooperative. In frustration, I think the doctors finally decided, "What could it hurt to listen to the family?" They agreed to let one of us be with mom at all times from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. And, wow, did Mom respond.

For about the first hour mom was under heavy sedation. She did not respond much to our words. By 11:00, mom was awake, and she was trying to talk. By 11:30 the words were flowing. I bet mom talked for over 4 hours today. For the most part, she made sense. We talked about what was going on in the hospital. We told her about her need to cooperate with the doctors. We asked her about her care and her worries.

We were so excited. And then, at about 4:50 the nurses wanted to do some therapy with mom and she asked that my dad be in the room with her when this was being done. They refused her request and we think she went into a panic attack. Ten minutes later when we went in to see her she was unresponsive and sleeping again. This had us quite worried, however a subsequent call from a doctor at International SOS, after consulting with the American Hospital Doctors, assured us that mom was doing fine now. They thought that she was just exhausted from a lot of hard work and excitement. The doctors are now saying that they don't think she'll be moved from ICU until Monday. We believe that if she could just keep fighting, and be like she is with us when we are not around, they would let her out and we could be with her overnight.

Dad took a fall at the hotel tonight. He was carrying his computer when he fell, and it is no longer working (His computer with all of the pictures that he has taken from his time in Turkey). He hurt his hand, but says that it is feeling fine now. He's more upset about the computer not working. He is ready to leave Istanbul and never come back. Please keep Dad and Jen in your prayers as they have been here well over two weeks and are seeing no end in sight. It is just so disappointing.

We're hoping to have a full day of encouragement with mom tomorrow. Thanks so much for all of your prayers.

July 5 Report on Mom

Yesterday was another long day. Both Dad and I had trouble sleeping on July 4th, so we went to the hospital exhausted. I think that between the two of us we had an hour's worth of sleeep. We arrived at the hospital and Mom was still in ICU, resting. When we let her know that we were in the room, Mom wanted to sit up. When her bed was propped up, she started coughing and having trouble breathing. But, she did eventually calm down. She was not able to talk and kept her eyes shut most of the time. She really just wanted to have us near her.

Mom's doctor told us that there would be no way that mom would be moved from ICU on Thursday, and after seeing her, we agreed.

When we saw mom at the 4:00 visiting time, she was at peace. Her eyes were shut, but she knew that we were there. Jenny spoke quietly to Mom and calmed her down enough for the nurses to be able to brush mom's teeth. Then we sang some of Mom's favorite hymns for about 30 minutes. Mom loved this. She would mouth the words as we sang them, and she had a smile on her face. We could still tell that it was tough for Mom to breathe, but she was doing better.

The breathing difficulty is happening because the infection in her lungs is clearing. The doctor told us that the lungs actually looked really good.

Keep praying that Mom cooperates with her doctors. Pray for her fears about being in ICU. We're praying that she will be well enough to move to a regular room today.

I am going to extend my stay in Istanbul to be with Mom, Dad and Jennifer through next week. Pray that all the logistical details work out too.

Today is Friday in Istanbul. This is the holiest day of the week on the Muslim calendar. I am told that Istanbul's many mosques will be full of faithful followers of Islam, on bened knee praying to Allah. On this Friday, please keep our family in your prayers. It's tough to be in a strange place with customs and languages that you don't understand. It's also tough to be away from home for so long. We are starting to be very familiar with the transit system in this city of 11 million people. It's always a challenge to get around here, but God has been faithful. We appreciate all the prayer and offers for help. You have been great!