» eLife

Do I show my love for God?

Dolan — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:41:35 +0000

I was browsing around a local book store today. While I was thumbing through some books in the music section, I noticed a book entitled, “Blue Like Jazz” by Donald Miller. Being the blues fan that I am, I thought, “how wonderful a book about blues AND jazz.” So I picked it up an opened to the introduction and read the following; ‘I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside Bagdad Theatre in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for 15 minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.’

The statement about “watching someone love something before you can love it yourself.” really hit a nerve with me. It was like God himself asked, “Can others see how you love me?” I feel quite certain that my brothers and sisters in Christ know that I love God. But how about the waiter at the restaurant, the bank teller, the nice lady that takes care of my dry cleaning, the barber, the checker at the food mart? Can they see, without knowing anything about me, that I love God? Others that I come into contact with may be like Donald and not like God until they see how I love Him. So I need to do a better job about showing my love for the One that loved me first.

Pray for me that I will show others how I love Him.

BTW, the book is not about blues or jazz. But I am glad he used the title.

Top Ten Predictions For 2008

Dolan — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:06:05 +0000

1. The Bible will still have the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people..
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost.

God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind.
Sometimes when you don’t have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you.
It’s your choice: Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick.

Christmas With a Capital “C”

Dolan — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:33:47 +0000

God talks to Logan

Dolan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:23:00 +0000

You have got to hear this little boy. Sometimes children seem to have more wisdom than we adults do.

Logan is 13 years old and listens to KSBJ on Sky Angel because he lives on a ranch in a very small town in Nebraska. He called us distraught because he had to take down a calf. His words have wisdom beyond his years.

Thanks to KSBJ for sharing this with all of us.

Don’t We All?

Dolan — Wed, 09 May 2007 19:45:57 +0000

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my spouse to get off from work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don’t want to be bothered. This was one of those “don’t want to be bothered times.” “I hope he doesn’t ask me for any money,” I thought. He didn’t. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn’t look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. “That’s a very pretty car,” he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard kept more than his face warm. I said, “Thanks,” and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked.

The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, “ask him if he needs any help.” I was sure that he would say “yes” but I held true to the inner voice. “Do you need any help?” I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand.

He spoke the three words that shook me. “Don’t we all?” he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun. Don’t we all? I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it’s just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don’t have – A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, and a respite from daily chaos that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, and then said, “Go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help.”

Don’t we all?

We certainly DO all need help, and those who recognize it are one step closer to receiving it than someone with an arrogant, self-contained attitude. What is it that YOU need today; financial help, spiritual or emotional healing; physical healing? Let’s not be timid with God when we need His help. If we don’t ask, we don’t receive!

God’s Yellow Pages

Dolan — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:42:16 +0000

Looking for some Biblical guidance? Let your mouse do the walking thru these yellow pages.

Aki Anna – A gift from God

Dolan — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:51:56 +0000

This is just one more example of what an amazing God we serve.

Watch this incredible story.

Three Bullets

Dolan — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:28:53 +0000

Sent to me by a friend:

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.

He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.

As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.

As he went further, he saw a large wild “Tom” turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.

A voice spoke to him and said, “Pray first, aim high and stay focused.”

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill.

He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought
the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.

Still, the voice said again to him, “I said ‘Pray, Aim high and Stay focused.” So, the man decided to listen to God’s voice.

He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey.

The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.

When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.

The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.

Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, Aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God. Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, “the past.”

Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

What’s on your Church Sign?

Dolan — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 12:01:00 +0000

I enjoy reading the many different church signs around town. Sometimes those few words speak a profound truth. I ran across this neat little site that has a collection of real church signs that people around the country have photographed and submitted. But, the times they are a changing and many church signs are going digital, so I guess we should preserve these images.

You can even create your own church sign here.

What church sign have you seen that made you think, laugh or maybe just pause to pray?

Passions – What happend?

Dolan — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 12:08:09 +0000

I am just curious if you have had some deep passion for something, that is no longer a part of your life.

I was talking with a friend about how I used to have a passion for fishing. It was so strong that if I couldn’t make it to the lake or river due to time constraints, I would seek out any ditch, creek, or slough where I could wet a hook. I LOVED fishing. I was consumed by it. It was a passion of mine. I stress was.

What happened? I rarely even think about it any more. No longer do I sit at work while my mind drifts off to great fishing spot. No longer am I preoccupied with the planning of a fishing trip, changing the line on my fishing reels, sharping hooks or re-supplying and organizing the tackle box. For many years I wanted a boat and finally was blessed to able to purchase one. I kept it for three years and put it in the water once.

Many things have happened in my life that has changed the way I look at things and my passions and priorities have changed. Maybe the passion was a surrogate for something missing in my life. Now that my focus is more on eternal things, many of the earthly passions are gone. I praise God for the life I have and how he has blessed me with so very much.

The Last…

Dolan — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:00:28 +0000

One of my first post on this blog was entitled “Firsts” I talked about the first things that we experience. Last week, after watching the fighting going between Israel and Lebanon, I went to fill the car up with gas because I knew this unrest would cause the price of oil to go up – again. As I began pumping the gas and being disgusted about what it was going to cost, I thought – ‘this might be the last tank of gas you ever pump.’ Now why would a thought like that enter my mind? Maybe because it is true and I need to be ever mindful about the relevant eternal things and quit focusing on irrelevant temporal things.

It is great for me to think about the first time I held my daughter in my arms and the first time I kissed my wife and the first time that I realized that God was speaking to my heart and calling me into a relationship with Him.

Now that I have been blessed with all that I need to be ever mindful that whatever I do, it may be the last time I do it. I have but now to live for Christ. This may be my last blog post. But, if God grants me more time, I will be talking to you here again soon.

Church Is All About Me

Dolan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 12:09:44 +0000

How do you feel about church? What is church really about?

Legalism vs. Moral relativism

Dolan — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 18:11:34 +0000

Legalism - Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.
Moral relativism contends that opposing moral positions have no truth value, and that there is no preferred standard of reference by which to judge them.

We were studying 1 Corinthians 8 this morning. Paul is talking about not doing things that would be a “stumbling block” to those that may be weak in their faith. This is the scripture that convicted me about smoking and caused me quit. This chapter of scripture talks about conscience. Actions like drinking and smoking are usually addressed by church doctrine. As was pointed out in Bible study this morning, the Bible often refers to drinking of wine to celebrate certain events. There are many references to drinking wine, even Jesus turned the water into wine. So where is the sin in drinking wine? If I drink a glass of wine to celebrate the birth or marriage of a child, do I sin? If I drink a couple of cold beers while celebrating my favorite football team on Saturday afternoon, do I sin? If I go to a bar on Saturday night and have a couple of rum and cokes with friends, do I sin?

The real question is – how can one Christian be convicted of smoking or drinking or cussing and another Christian not? Isn’t that moral relativism?

Shipwrecked

Dolan — Tue, 09 May 2006 20:48:58 +0000

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, deserted island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.

However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food.

The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man’s parcel of land remained barren so he went hungry.

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife.

The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island.

The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?”

“My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.”

“You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.”

“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?”

The voice answered, “He prayed that all your prayers be answered.”

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.

-Author Unknown

This is too good not to share. With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed. “What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself.”

Through God’s Eyes

Dolan — Mon, 01 May 2006 11:01:23 +0000

What if God gave you the ability to see all that he sees? Would you be shocked to see your pew partner out on the golf course? Would you feel hurt to see what your spouse said about you to co-workers? Would you be ashamed and embarrassed or delighted and pleased about the way your children acted when they thought they were out of your sight? Sunday morning during the sermon, this fact that God sees and knows everything hit me right between the eyes. First I had all of the above questions go shooting across my mind. Then the question, “how does God feel when He looks at me?” Does He say, “He is one of mine!” or does he ask, “Why do you choose to turn from me? If you love me, you will obey my commands.”

If you had God’s eyes, would you want to look at a fallen world? But I know that He is so pleased when He sees the Light of His Son shining through us. So let that light shine and each time you give God the glory the light will shine brighter.

Cremation or Burial

Dolan — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:01:53 +0000

Which do you choose and why?

Is RFID the Mark of the Beast

Dolan — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 12:00:26 +0000

I remember hearing my Grandmother talking about the evils of how the social secruity number was the beginning of the “Mark of the Beast” and then came credit cards and bar code scanners! Repent the end is near! Well Bill and I were talking about RFID technology and how RFID and other technologies are making the fullfillment of end time prophicies easier and easier. My thought on it is to turn to God’s word in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petetion with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We need to be in prayer now more than ever – praying for the lost. No one knows when the Lord will come again – but we are to “watch and pray” and live our life for Christ so others would see Him in us.

RFID – Good or Evil? What do you think?

Below are some additional links that talk about RFID technology. I do not in anyway endorse these websites nor do I vouch for the validity of the information contained therein. It just different things I ran accross and thought you might like to read some of this.

Intro to RFID. You may want to start here for an introduction to RFID.

Makers of the Verichip

Piercing studio implants subdermal RFID for keyless entry into home.

Japan to get RFID-equipped manhole covers. I included this one to show that there are very reasonable uses for RFID.

Citizens Bank Offers Customers Contactless Debit Card

Video of a guy getting “chipped”. He says he is good at losing things and in this case I think he has lost his mind. The video may take a little while to load up so be patient.

New VISA Card Features RFID Chip

Just found this one. RFID Blocking Kit T-shirt

Spiritual Placebos

Dolan — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:00:19 +0000

Placebo – “Something of no intrinsic remedial value that is used to appease or reassure another.”

Oprah
Dr. Phil
Drugs
Food
Sex

To know real peace you must know the Prince of Peace – Jesus is the “Real Thing”.

Think about it.

The Borrowed Grave

Dolan — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 18:51:25 +0000

The book of Matthew tells how Jesus’ body was placed in a borrowed tomb. For the first time in my life I thought about the tomb being borrowed. I often reflected on how much Joseph of Arimathaea must have loved Jesus to go to Pilate and beg for His body, so it could have a proper burial. But I never thought about the grave being borrowed. When one borrows something it is temporary. You borrow a book from the library and then you return it. You borrow a tool from a friend and you return it when you no longer have a need for it. (At least most of us do.) God knew that Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day. So a borrowed tomb was all that was needed!

The point here is that we do serve a risen, living Lord who intercedes for us. The grave was only temporary. Death was defeated through the resurrection.

The grave is temporary for all of us. One day our bodies may go into a grave, but our souls are not bound by the grave. One must ask, “What will happen to my soul? Where will I spend eternity?” Heaven and hell are real places. Just as we cannot understand how wonderful heaven is neither can we imagine how horrible hell is.

Am I Ready to Serve?

Dolan — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:43:39 +0000

Have you ever gone out for a night of fine dining or maybe gone shopping at one of the finer stores that prides themselves on customer service only to find out that these businesses did not live up to their reputation? What kind of feeling did you come away from that encounter with? Did it make you want to go back and experience that again? Or was it more like, “That business should NEVER claim great customer service.”

I have, much to my chagrin, experienced this too often. But, God has once again placed me in front of the righteous mirror and ask me some serious questions.
Since you claim to be a Christian, how is your service as a Christian? When people have an encounter with you do they say – “There is something different about him. I would like to know more about being a Christian.” Or do they say, “I thought he was a Christian. Well if he is, I sure don’t want to be one.”

These may seem like silly questions. But stop and think about a brief encounter that you have with a total stranger. You WILL walk away with an opinion of that person. Now consider when you meet someone that you have heard others talk up as a ‘fine Christian’ or a ‘Godly person’ or a ‘person of faith’ or some similar description. And then after meeting this person, you don’t get the sense that they fit any of the aforementioned descriptions – what kind of impression does that make on you?

That is why I have to ask myself daily, “Am I ready to serve?”