Start and End Your Days with Praise!

This year I set a goal to read through the Bible, starting in Genesis in January and ending (I trust) in Revelation in December. Yesterday I found myself reading in the latter chapters of 1 Chronicles. In Chapter 23, King David outlines detailed instructions for the Levites and priests as they carried out their service in the Temple that David's son, Solomon was to build once he succeeded David as Israel's king. Among these instructions is a rather fascinating task that the Levites are assigned. In v. 30, the Levites are told that "they were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening."

When I read those words, it struck me that thanking and praising the LORD would be a great way for me ... and for all of us ... to begin and end our days. For starters, it reminds us that God (not us or anyone else) is in control of our circumstances. He is the source of our blessings, so it is appropriate to praise and thank him. In addition, by beginning and ending each day with thanksgiving and praise, we will be more prone to being positive people - rather than a griping and complaining people - as we focus on the goodness of God and the greatness of his person!

So ... why not try a little experiment? For the upcoming month of May, begin and end your day with giving thanks and praise to God. Even if its just a moment or two -- I think you will be a far better person for it!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Darwin? Or Intellegint Design? (Part 2)

Yesterday, my wife and I went to see the movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. For a documentary film, I found it to be quite engaging. Before I knew it, the movie was over and we were on our way.

This morning I got on the Internet to see what kind of "buzz" the movie is causing. I was amazed to see how the Establishment has reacted. The National Center For Science Education has developed a web site devoted solely to discrediting the film. Richard Dawkins, a well known atheistic evolutionist who was interviewed in the film, has written a very emotional and sarcastic response to how the movie portrayed him. And on and on it goes. (By the way - you can go to the movie's web site http://www.expelledthemovie.com/ to check these things out for your self.)

Hmm. Why such a ferocious response? Could it be that the film has rattled the bastions of academia? I have done a lot of reading in this area of the origin of life. And even though evolutionists keep saying (and writing) that evolution is a proven fact that is backed up by mountains of research and evidence - I am certainly unconvinced. I really believe that what we have going on here is a case of "If you say something loud enough and long enough - people will buy it." This is what the evolutionists have done.

But why? Why such a hatred for Intelligence Design? Romans chapter one contains the answer. There we read,

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20)

Men, many who are very educated and very accomplished in the scientific arena are suppressing the truth about the Designer of this very vast and very complicated world. I believe they are doing so in order to maintain their autonomy and avoid any accountability to the God who made them.

If you want to do some more study on this issue of Creation vs. Evolution - let me suggest the following web site: http://www.answersingenesis.org/. And join me in praying for all of those who have hardened their hearts toward God and His Truth.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

P.S. - If you have yet to see Expelled - I highly recommend you go ... and take your kids!

Rocky the Bear

Rocky the Bear has been in the limelight this week. For some reason that has yet to be determined, Rocky bit his handler on the neck which led to the handler's death. According to the owner of the animal training center where the huge grizzly is housed and trained, Rocky is a "loving, affectionate, friendly, safe bear." However, the owner is clueless on how such a "simple routine" turned so tragic.

In thinking about this, I was reminded of how we often relate to sin. We begin to play around with it, we learn to tolerate it - and before we know it we see it as being "no big deal" at best or we become "totally indifferent to it" at worst. And just when we least suspect, the sin we allow to fester in our hearts and souls jumps up to bite us - bringing great pain and anguish as a result.

My friends, we MUST not allow this to happen. We must, in the words of the apostle Peter, "abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11). Let me encourage you to take some time to read Romans 6 through Romans 8. In these chapters, the apostle Paul details for us the process by which God is making us holy (this process is the process of sanctification). God takes sin seriously - because it is a serious matter! We need to do the same!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Feeling a Bit Nostalgic!

Nostalgia is defined as "a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for or return to some past period." I was experiencing just a touch of nostalgia earlier this week as we travelled to and from Carlisle, PA. To get there, we had to go through the Harrisburg area. I was born in the city of Harrisburg and lived there until I was 13. Then we moved to the Harrisburg West Shore, just outside the teeming metropolis of Lewisberry which is located in the northern reaches of York County. So in our drive to and from Carlisle, we passed the Farm Show complex (which hosted the Shriner's Circus which I attended each year that I was in elementary school), the cemetery where my grandmother was buried when I was 12 and the Embers Restaurant where several of my high school banquets were held.

Passing these places brought back a rush of memories. As I reflected on these, I was reminded of how great a role our past has played in defining who we are today. Past actions and choices have done much to shape us into who we have become. BUT having said that, we are not bound to our past. Earlier this month, our music ministry offered up a delightful reminder of God's faithfulness to us and our need to return that faithfulness to Him with their musical simply titled, Today. The musical's theme was, Today, I choose to follow Him. You see, no matter how poor your choices were in the past, TODAY you can choose to follow God. And the choice to follow Jesus is a choice that will transform any life! Follow in the footsteps of Joshua, the Old Testament leader of Israel, who proclaimed to all Israel, "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" (Joshua 24:15).

So if your choices of yesteryear have not been the best, make a change TODAY and choose TODAY to follow Him!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

P.S. The photo is of me in fourth grade. I like that bow tie!

Back from Training! (And It's Good to Be Back!)

I just got back from three days of rather intensive training with the International Conference of Police Chaplains. Each April, Region 5 of the I.C.P.C. (which consists of the North East and Mid-Atlantic states) conducts a regional training conference. This year's conference was held at an Assemblies of God conference ground just outside Carlisle, PA. My associate here at Grace and newly installed chaplain with the West Lampeter Police Department accompanied me to the conference.

The conference was attended by approximately 75 law enforcement personnel and police chaplains. They came from Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Topics covered included "Death Notifications," "Substance Abuse," "Hostage Negotiations," and "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" - just to name a few. The presenters of each session were experienced police officers, FBI agents and fellow chaplains. All in all it was a very informative time of training.

But this training also reminded me of the job, day in and day out, that law enforcement does to keep all the rest of us "safe and sound" - and often at a great cost to themselves (one stat that was shared is that more police officers die from suicide than die in the line of duty). If you see a police officer today, why not take a moment out of your day to thank them for serving. It might just make their day!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Off for Training!

I will be leaving this afternoon for three days of training with the International Conference of Police Chaplains. The conference is being sponsored by the Northeast Region of the ICPC and is being held in NEARBY Carlisle! Pastor Al Reilly, one of my associate pastors here at Grace will be also attending the training conference. He was just sworn in this past Monday evening to serve as a chaplain with the West Lampeter Township police department. Please pray that the conference will be HUGELY beneficial.

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer . . . and thanks for stopping by.

pj

P.S. - I do not believe I will have the opportunity to post a blog while gone ... so I will "see" you when I return on Thursday!

Oh What Love!

Gone are the days when I would walk in my front door after a long day at the office and get mobbed by three little Smiths! For starters, my son (our middle child) is now married. Our oldest daughter (due to be married this October) has been living on her own for several years. This leaves only our youngest daughter still at home. But that will change come June 29th when she gets married. But even though one of my kids is still at home, it is still not the same.

I was reminded of this yesterday. I arrived home for supper and noticed her car in the driveway. I walked in the front door and called out a "Hello! I'm home!" My wife (bless her heart!) came running to greet me. But nothing out of my daughter. Since she gets up early to drive her 45-50 minute commute to school, I just figured she was taking a nap. Wrong! Shortly after I walked in the door, her Mr. "captured my heart" walked in the door. Within seconds of hearing his voice, my daughter bounded down the steps - just like she used to do for me.

Now do not get me wrong. I could not be happier for my daughter. She found her soul mate, just as I did some 30 years ago. But still. I must be honest. It does sting a little. But I will get over it. After all, this is what we raised her to do ... in bird terminology, "to fly off and leave the nest!" And let me say it again (just in case her fiance, Ryan reads this!), I couldn't think of a better guy for Kate.

As I think of the emotion I feel for my daughter, the depth of love I have for her - it warms my heart to know that my Father's love for me (and all of us who are his children!) is so much greater! That's hard to imagine, but it's true. Consider the words of the Apostle John in 1 John 3:1:

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

Wow! What a thought! And it's a thought that makes my day! I hope it makes your day, too!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj