Tuesday, March 31, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things


"Oh I've Failed Again...And I Went to College!"

I guess I must be a kid at heart because I really enjoy watching cartoons with my children. I actually love watching Boomerang and Cartoon Network and in our home my kids and I are big fans of Spongebob Squarepants. I know that this is just a kids cartoon, but I love the funny humor of this cartoon and it has another one of my favorite things....my all time favorite cartoon character, PLANKTON! Yes this miniature, evil villian who is owner of the Chum Bucket restaurant is always trying to steal the secret formula for the Krabby Patty, which happens to be the main dish at the Krusty Krab where Spongebob works as a fry cook. Now I know that it seems a little silly to love a cartoon character, but when you have two children who love Spongebob, it's not so silly, and Plankton makes me laugh everytime. Whether it's his diabolic schemes that always fail or his wife Karen who is a computer...this little guy is big laughs. Have a great day and God bless.


Monday, March 30, 2009

Suffering Servant on the Cross


Isaiah 53:3-4-"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and he carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. "


Jesus was everything and became nothing and we didn't notice what he did for us. We just assumed he deserved it, and so we did not repent. But there was something about that sacrificial story that grabbed our hearts and called us home we found in him not only a Savior, but a servant.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Humble in Heart

For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 (NIV)

How can it be that God dwells in the highest of the heavens but also in the humblest of hearts? How can the God of the Universe, who created all things and by Him everything exists want to be a part of us? From the beginning of creation, God created man to work and tend the Garden of Eden while having a relationship with him. God then formed the animals and brought them to Adam so he could name them. God wanted Adam to have a partner, so He created Eve. Over and over in Genesis, we read about God’s love, concern and willingness to have a relationship with man as well as God’s desire to care for his needs. There was only one rule to follow. Everything else was burden free. God knew that man needed to have free will for God wanted a relationship based on choice, not force. With that choice, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. From that time moment on, Adam and Eve died in two ways: physically in time and spiritually that day. Sin entered into the heart of man that day and severed our relationship with Lord. Today, we are all born spiritually dead. This broke God’s heart. He created us to have a relationship with us; He created us to dwell with Him. From Genesis chapter 3 until Revelation 21, the Bible is about God’s plan to get the world back, reversing the destruction of sin. The answer was prophesied in Genesis 3:15 as being Jesus. Jesus is the One who came to restore sinful man back to a Holy God. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The wages of sin is death but Jesus came to bring life so we can live that abundantly. So whose heart does God dwell with today? He dwells with those humble of heart. He dwells with those who prayed and said, “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and in need of a savior. I know that You sent Your Son to die on the cross, shedding His blood for my sins. I ask You, Jesus, to come into my heart and save me. I surrender control of my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and led me in Your ways. Thank You for saving me.” God dwells with those of us who absolutely know that there is nothing we can do to please God apart from believing in Jesus. God dwells with those who call out to Him daily for strength, hope and provisions, giving Him thanks. God dwells in the highest of heavens and yet the heavens cannot contain Him. And God dwells in the humblest of hearts and yet our hearts cannot grasp the extend of His love and desire to be with us. God is good. He loves you. He always has your best interests in mind and keeps you as the apple of His eye. This world offers the wages of sin resulting death. But God has given us Jesus, providing us with eternal life. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things


I have been posting some blog entries the past few weeks titled "A few of my favorite things" which are things in my life that I really like or love. One of my most favorite things is watching my two favorite baseball teams......THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS and the OAKLAND ATHLETICS. Yes I am a die-hard member of Cardinal Nation and have rooted for the Redbirds since 1979 and I have had the privilege of growing up in St. Louis and watching the Cardinals for most of my life. My favorite player is Albert Pujols, the reigning National League MVP for 2008 and my all time favorite Cardinal is Ozzie Smith, the Hall of Fame shortstop who played 15 seasons with the Cardinals and brought many great memories to my life. My other favorite team is the Oakland A's who I started following in 1994 when I lived in California. I love to watch the A's when they are on TV and I follow them as close as I do the Cardinals. I am a big fan of Eric Chavez the A's All Star third basemen and I also like Jason Giambi. I think they have a shot to win the AL West this year and I have a good feeling about the Redbirds too. The Cardinals and A's will always be my favorites and I hope my dreams come true and I see the Cardinals and A's in the World Series someday....Who would I root for? God bless.

Listening But Not Hearing


"Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech." (Isaiah 28:23)


Have you ever thought about the difference between hearing and listening? Did you know there was a difference? To hear refers to perceiving something with our ears, as if we are see with our ears. To listen means that we are paying attention to the sound; it’s a thoughtful and considerate attention to the sound. In life today, there are literally thousands of noises a day that compete for our attention. In my home there are so many types of noises and sounds that we do not pay attention to most of them. The television can be on, the phone ringing, my daugther and her friends playing in her room and everyone in my house talking at once and I can still tune most of it out. It is not that I am not hearing the noise, but I am not listening to it. God gave us ears to hear the beauty of sound and He gave us the ability to listen so that the sound can be understood. When both hearing and listening work together, we have an understanding of the purpose of the sound. You can hear music but not listen to the words. When both music and lyrics are understood, the beauty and meaning of the whole song is revealed to you. You can hear the words of a person speaking to you, but if you truly listen to the person, you will better understand their heart and the meaning behind their words. The same principle holds true with God’s word. We can hear the Word preached, taught and read. We can read the Word ourselves and hear our own voices speak it. But, when we really listen to God’s word, then our understanding begins to change. So many times, people leave church after having heard a sermon and not remember anything about it. When we are listening and giving consideration to what we are hearing, we will leave thinking about what we just heard. The next step is to start talking back to God, asking Him to open up more of our understanding. Take time today and think about how much you hear versus how much you listen. How much are you missing out on what God has for you? Is He talking to you but you are not paying attention? Take your Bible and read today’s chapter in Isaiah. Instead of just reading the words and hearing them in your head, pray the Holy Spirit will give you the power to listen and to understand the message God has for you. When the Word of God truly becomes His voice in your life, then your hearing and listening will open up a new world of understanding for you. Your life will change. You will understand spiritual things like never before. You will have insights into the mystery of Christ and revelations that can only be understood through the power of His Spirit. But it all begins with understanding the difference between hearing
and listening…start listening to God today.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Heavenly Promise to Overcomers


James 1:12-"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive he crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. "


As I read this verse today I am reminded of a wonderful truth that we sometimes forget. Only Christians win at life. That's because none of us have the power to hold back our greatest enemy, death. But when we have persevered, we are given the ultimate victory, LIFE that will not end. That is the promise to those who overcome in this life and remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things


I have been sharing the past week or so about some of my favorite things in life that I either love or enjoy. I know this seems a bit funny, but I have always loved John Deere tractors and equipment. My late granfather, Melvin Adams, loved John Deere and he always wore a John Deere hat everywhere he went and many of his family were farmers in Illinois and you guessed it, they used John Deere equipment. Living here in the heartland of central Indiana, I just love seeing all the John Deere tractors and equipment all around. I also have a John Deere coffee mug in my church office (actually I have two!) I guess it's true..."Nothing runs like a Deere" God bless you today.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Signs of the Times


I saw this sign and after doing some research I discovered the church had a laptop stolen and I guess they're trying to guilt someone into returning it. God bless and have a great weekend.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Our Daily Bread

"Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11)

Today’s verse is taken from what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him how to pray, He gave them this prayer as a model. Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record this prayer in its entirety. Like many people, I learned the Lord’s Prayer as a Sunday school child and I have prayed it thousands of times. But how many of us really think about what we are praying when we recite this prayer? How often do I ask for my daily bread? I guess a better question might be: what exactly is “our daily bread?” Certainly our daily bread consists of those things that we need each and every day to survive and live on. We need food, water, clothing and shelter. We need financial resources to get the things we need. We all have needs of one sort or another and many of them are necessary in everyday life. So, we must pray that the Lord will meet those needs and give us our daily provisions. There is another type of “daily bread” that applies here as well---our spiritual bread. We cannot live abundant spiritual lives without a daily portion of God’s Word. Jesus said in Luke 4 that "Man shall not on bread alone, but by every Word of God." Learning to feed on His Word everyday will give us the spiritual nourishment we need to victoriously live a Christian life. Ask the Lord today to give you His bread of life, to meet your physical needs here on earth, but to also meet your spiritual needs as you walk with Him. Lives are transformed by the Word of God when it is allowed to penetrate hearts and minds on a daily basis. Make time for reading your Bible today and let the Lord feed you with His amazing Word.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009


Hope you have a Happy St. Patrick's Day and God Bless you.

Monday, March 16, 2009

God's Faithfulness

Deuteronomy 7:9-"The Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. "

Thoughts on today's verse:

God is faithful and his covenant is a covenant of love. He has said in His word that he will not forsake us and will treat us better than we deserve just as a loving parent treats a rebellious child better than s/he deserves. But our hearts must be tuned to honor God as God, not as just a good luck charm or a weekly guest into our otherwise busy lives. What we do must be done in awareness that it is done before and for him!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Waiting On God

Psalm 27:14-"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. "

When I was a few years younger, and just starting out in the ministry, I began to believe that I would never find another person to share my life with. I had lived as a single more years than I cared to, and I used to pray daily for God to send the right person to me. I said that same prayer for almost seven years. Just at the point where I began to think maybe God wasn't listening, the most wonderful woman I've ever met showed up out of the blue and came into my life. The Lord worked through the perfect relationship for me, in His own time. Though I battled a continual lack of patience, the will of the Lord prevailed, and I couldn't be happier. As difficult as it is, waiting on the Lord always pays off in the long run. God knows the perfect solution to all life's situations. All we need do is ask His divine guidance and help, and He will make all things good. Wait on the Lord!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Positive Feedback From God

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope"

Niel Anderson wrote, "I believe that God desires all His children to be successful, significant, fulfilled, satisfied, joyful, secure, and to live in peace. From birth you have been developing in your mind a means for experiencing these values and reaching other goals in life. Consciously or subconsciously you continue to formulate and adjust your plans for achieving these goals." This is so true. Yet, sometimes your well-intended plans and noble-sounding goals are not completely in harmony with God's divine plans and goals for you. "How can I know if what I believe is right?" you may be wondering. "Must I wait until I experience some kind of mid-life crisis to discover that what I believed was wrong?" I don't think so. I believe that God has designed us in such a way that we can know on a regular basis if our belief system is properly aligned with God's truth. God has established a feedback system which is designed to grab your attention so you can examine the validity of your goal. That system is your emotions. When an experience or relationship leaves you feeling angry, anxious or depressed, those emotional signposts are there to alert you that you may be focusing on a goal which is based on a wrong belief. If our goals are blocked, we become angry. If our goals are uncertain, we feel anxious. If we perceive our goals as impossible, we become depressed because the heart of depression is hopelessness. Can any God-given goal be blocked, uncertain or impossible? Put another way, if God wants something done, can it be done? Of course! The question is do we have a biblical understanding of success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, joy, security and peace? When we see and pursue these values from God's perspective, we will reach our goals because they are God's goals for us.

Signs of the Times


Does anyone else see the irony in this sign? God bless and have a great weekend.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

God's Word for Today


2 Peter 1:4-"He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. "

When I think about this verse I am reminded God made us to be like him in character and holiness. We are called to participate in the divine nature and are assured that we will be made ready when Jesus comes again. His promise is sure if we will follow wholeheartedly!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things


I have been sharing about my favorite things in my life and another one of my most favorite things is my favorite doughnuts....


Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are my favorite. I can't eat them that much anymore due to high blood sugar but when I do splurge and feel like eating something sweet, I can't pass up a fresh baked glazed Krispy Kreme Doughnut right out of the oven. They are heavenly and I love them. I am sure that anyone who tries them will love them. God bless and have a great day.


Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things


I have been blogging for the past year and a half and anybody can read my profile and find out about what my interests are and what hobbies I have. Yet I felt compelled to do something a little whimsy and share with you for the next few days what my favorite things are in my life. I have certain things that I just love and enjoy and some of them are things I have loved for years and others are just things that bring me enjoyment. Like my most favorite coffee....

Starbucks Coffee! I absolutely love Starbucks and praise the Lord we have a Starbucks Coffee house here in Lebanon. I love stopping in and getting their signature Pike's Place Coffee (grown organically and fairly traded-don't want to forget that little point). It's the best and I love to sit and read my Bible or the newspaper and enjoy a nice smooth cup of coffee from Starbucks. It's one of my favorite THINGS. Have a blessed day everyone.

Can Two Walk Together

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Amos 3:3

One of the greatest challenges in life is walking in agreement with others. Relationships are formed for various reasons but without consistent agreement, they will eventually dissolve. In marriage, husband and wife must find that place of walking together. When the two begin to walk in separate directions, major problems erupt that threaten the core of their foundation. If the two do not get back on the same path, the harder it will be to work things out together. Unfortunately for many marriages, separate paths lead to one result: divorce. Business partnerships, teammates, and friendships are all under the same principles, to walk and work
together. The Bible is filled with two’s, or pairs, some good, some not so good. But the Lord used them all for His purposes. The enemy seeks to keep these pairs of relationships from growing and remaining strong and consistent. This enemy’s main objective is to create division and dissension between people, especially in the church. Basically anything that can bring disharmony (such as pride, jealousy and covetousness) is used on us. Forces of evil come against any relationship seeking to serve the Lord. Why? Because where people stand together for the Lord, there is life-changing power that can reach far beyond our imaginations and expectations. The power of prayer alone can move mountains. When God’s people pray, look out…things change, especially when we agree together in prayer. Do you have a friend that you pray with regularly? Are you in a relationship that seeks to serve the Lord? Is your marriage a union that honors God? If you desire godly relationships, then pray that you can walk together in agreement. Be aware of all the tactics that will be used against your relationships in hopes of destroying their usefulness to serve the Lord. Though at times it is challenging to walk in agreement, when submitted to the Lord’s authority, the challenges become opportunities to see the Lord work through them. God put us here together on this earth and He has a plan for every union He brings together. Seek His plans today in your marriages, friendships and any other relationships you walk together in.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Church Tragedy in Illinois

By now many of you have heard the news of the shooting at First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois. The church located in the St. Louis metro area 20 miles northeast of St. Louis was shaken by Sunday's events, where a gunmen entered the sanctuary and shot and killed Senior Pastor Fred Winters and injured two others during morning worship. I can only imagine what must be going through the minds of his wife and family as well as the church members and staff of First Baptist Church in Maryville. They are in my thoughts and prayers and please keep them in your daily prayers. I am believing and trusting the Lord that through this tragedy, may God bring blessing and victory.

Friday, March 6, 2009

A Distorted Identity

" Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." 2 Peter 1:2,3

"If our identity in Christ is the key to wholeness," you may ask, "why do so many believers have difficulty with self-worth, spiritual growth and maturity?" Because we have been deceived by the devil. Our true identity in Christ has been distorted by the great deceiver himself.
This deception was brought home to me a few years ago when I was counseling a Christian woman who was the victim of satanic oppression. I asked her, "Who are you?" "I feel like I'm evil," she answered. "Well, You're not evil. How can a child of God be evil? Is that how you see yourself?" She nodded. Now she may have done some evil things, but she wasn't evil. She was basing her identity on the wrong equation. She was letting Satan's accusations of her behavior influence her perception of identity instead of letting her identity--as a child of God in Christ--influence her behavior. Sadly, a great number of Christians are trapped in the same pit. We fail, so we see ourselves as failures which only causes us to fail more. We sin, so we see ourselves as sinners which only causes us to sin more. We've been sucked into the devil's futile equation. We've been tricked into believing that what we do makes us what we are. And that false belief sends us into a tailspin of hopelessness and defeat. Don't be deceived. You are not a product of what you do or don't do. You are a product of who you are in Christ and His work on the cross. You are not saved by how you behave but by how you believe. God's Word assures us, "Beloved, now we are children of God. . . . And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:2, 3). Remember you are a child of God and your identity is in Christ. God Bless.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Be Sober

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. "1 Peter 5:8

Satan is alive and well. His mission has been the same since the Garden of Eden: to crush, kill and destroy (just like the androids on Star Trek). He is good at twisting concepts and manipulating ideas into truths that are not real. Satan’s battlefield starts within your circumstances. He frustrates your plans to get that peace within your heart to crush into a
flesh frenzy. When your insides don’t match your outsides, you have just become a hypocrite and Satan loves to make hypocrites out of Christians. Once you are aware of this scheme (which for some of us is a lifetime), you learn to pray and resist him by drawing near to God. You do this by learning how to discipline your behavior and choosing not to allow the fruits of the Spirit to be crushed. Praying, submitting to God and meditating on scripture are the next steps. But then Satan’s next plan of attack hits your mind. Now, Satan cannot read your mind but he can discern what you are thinking by your words and behaviors. He can also put his thoughts into your mind. I have found that many times I don’t need the devil to put bad thoughts into my mind because I can do that all by myself. I am capable of taking my own self out of the ministry or walking away from the Lord, with very little effort or attack from him. So “be on guard” for Satan is seeking someone to devour. If you look weak, think weak, act weak, and your words
express a weakness in your faith, then you can surely be his next target. Peter warns us to be sober and vigilant. Both words have similar Greek meanings: to watch and keep awake. We have to be more alert than he is. Obviously this is more difficult for us because we don’t see into the spiritual realm to understand what’s going on. We discredit or disregard the work of the enemy, allowing him to have the advantage over us. We have to pray that the Lord opens our eyes and gives us discernment to know what’s really going on. Too many Christians are apathetic and complacent. They live on the defense without any strength to fight back instead of on the
offense in moving forward. It is true that the enemy doesn’t have to bother with an apathetic and complacent Christian. That’s just where he wants us to be but God has so much more for us. The Lord has won the battle; we just have to put the armor on. The Lord wants to give us an abundant life on this earth so why not start living it today!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

I'm Getting My Car Back Today

Today is a happy day for me because I am getting my car back from the auto body repair shop today. I was involved in a two car accident two weeks ago and I sustained damage to the front end of my car, but I recieved word from the shop today that it's ready to be picked up. As you can see from the photo, my car, a 2005 Chevey Aveo, is a rather "unique" looking vehicle. Some people tell me it looks like a piece of chicklett gum, while others say it's an awfully small car for a big guy like myself. However, I love it and many people in town and in my local church recognize it almost immediately as Pastor Skiles' vehicle. All I can say is, "it's not much to look at, but it'll get you where you gotta go" and I am happy to have the "Green Machine" back. God bless you all.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Which Way

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21)

Which way? This way or that way? Today, there are so many ways we can follow. We have the advice of our family, friends, the media and then there is our own instincts. But how do we know the right way? How do we discern which way is really best for us? We ask the questions, “Which way Lord? What is Your will, Lord?” and then we follow the direction He gives. Next thing we know, we find ourselves angry and resentful. How come? What happens? Frequently, God answers our prayer and uses us and guides us. However, once He shows us what He wants, frequently we stop asking for wisdom and counsel and just go on our own way in the name of the Lord. This verse talks about God speaking from behind us. And why would God need to speak from behind us unless we have run ahead of Him? I really believe that after He leads us to a certain place, position, or calling, then we run ahead. It is in the running ahead that we lose His way and make it ours. God is faithful. He will lead you and answer you when you call out to Him. Just remember to keep asking. His Spirit moves like the wind and you will never be able to have it all figured out if you are spirit led. If you are dealing with anger, bitterness and judgmental thoughts, you have probably run ahead of God. Stop and be still to hear His voice from behind you. He will lead you back into His way and help you to walk in it.