HOLDINGCROSS™

What is Loyalty?

2011-01-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

How many of you have a “loyalty” card with some retail company? Many people even have several loyalty cards in their wallet. That seems like an oxymoron to me. Why have a Penney’s, Sears, Dillard’s and Kohl’s loyalty card? Don’t they offer the same items?

Consider what the definition of loyal is – someone who …
gives allegiance, is committed and consistent, dedicated and devoted, faithful and steadfast.

God called David a man after His own heart. He looked into the heart of David and saw that David loved the things God loved and hated the things God hated. David was loyal to God. Oh, sure he failed. We all fall short. But God looked into the heart of David and was pleased.

God looked at the relationship of the heart, not the transactions of success or failure of events in David’s life.

Soon Valentine’s Day will be upon us. It, like so many other holidays, has become watered down with things of love versus love itself.

Here are a few compare / contrasts to ponder in your heart …

Transactions    vs         Relationships
    Conditional      vs         Unconditional
    Unsupportive vs         Loyal
    Short-sighted vs         Enduring
    Judgment         vs         Forgiveness
    Divisive        vs         Supportive
    Get                  vs         Give
    Divorce       vs        Marriage
    Mind           vs        Heart

Our work with HoldingCross.com continues to focus on the care-givers heart. We pray that our heart is seen to be enduring and devoted to serving you and your ministry of reaching out to a hurting world. We also pray that we aren’t seen as just a transaction driven event or purchase but rather the building up of a relationship and partnership of the work of the heart of God through you and us.

As we enter into our 11^th year of ministry and work with The HoldingCross, we celebrate the so many loyal customers who have been with us for many, many years. We give thanks for the ministry these people have done and continue to do, in the name of Jesus.

A Little Latin

2011-01-08T05:59:00.000-08:00

There was a movie a number of years ago with the actor Robin Williams playing the part of an English professor. The movie was called The Dead Poet Society. One of the tenants he tried to teach to his students was “carpe diem” - seize the day.

So often we are told by the world to live life to the fullest, to take advantage of the moment, to take charge.

There is another Latin term that isn’t as familiar today as it once was. From around the fourth century up until the nineteenth century, many people would write letters and notes. At the end of their written document they would write Deo Volente or the shortened abbreviation just D.V., which means “God willing”.

I think I’m going to start using that as another reminder of His sovereignty in my daily life.

Deo Volente

The lasting value of a gift

2010-12-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

I remember as a small boy wanting a 10-speed bicycle for Christmas. We lived in a rural town and school was about 4 miles away. There was no bus service in our town so I rode my bike or walked to school. If the weather was bad, my mom would drive me to school.

The other gift I really wanted was a crystal radio so I could listen to the Dodgers play. The Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and I wanted to listen to the games at night and on the weekends.

On Christmas morning, there were three gifts under the tree. There was a 10-speed Schwinn bicycle, a Heathkit Crystal radio and a bible.

I was excited … in that order. The bike would get me further and faster. The radio, once I put it together, would open my world of sports even more. The bible would go on the shelf.

The bike lasted about three years. The crystal radio became obsolete the next year with the transistor radio. The bible, the Word of God, has been with me for a lifetime.

What gift will you give this year?

What gift will you receive this year?

I Want ...

2010-12-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

For the past eight years, we have been going into a Mall during the Christmas Season with our HoldingCross kiosk display. The Lord put it on our heart that The Cross is central to the story of Christmas and so many people forget that as they scurry to purchase gifts for one another.

In the mall this year again, we hear many conversations as people walk by.

I want …

She needs …

We need to get …

One person walked up to our display on Friday, stared at the Psalm 23 WordCube and broke down and started crying. Noticing he was visibly upset, I walked over to him and was silent waiting for him to speak. He said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. I know that in my heart but it is so hard right now to believe that. You see, I’m homeless and have been out of a job for a long time”.

After hearing his story, I went over and picked up a black walnut HoldingCross and handed it to him. I said it would be cold tonight. The forecast was for sub-30 degree weather. I encouraged him to hold the cross as a reminder of The Shepherd and His presence in his heart to keep him warm.

The next morning, I came to open the booth. The stranger with the story from the day before was there waiting for me. He had a big smile on his face and seemed anxious.

Before I could say anything, he said, “Good morning Jack! I have something to share with you. Last night, I left the mall just holding that cross. I was planning to walk to the shelter for the evening. On the way, there was a “now hiring” sign at a local grocery store. I filled out an application for work and talked with the manager. They hired me! Praise God! I start work in three days! When I got back to the shelter for the evening, I could hardly contain myself. I opened that little scroll paperwork that came with the cross and read every word. You were right. Even though it was cold outside, my heart was soooo warm.”

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

When sheep lay down to rest

2010-12-01T02:42:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I've learned allot about sheep. Although I've never owned a sheep or belonged to a 4-H club raising sheep or even been around sheep except at a county fair or zoo, I've picked up a few traits of sheep that apply to my own life.

When sheep lay down, they rest and they sleep. They don't lay down unless a number of things happen ... here's a short list to consider;

When the shepherd is present, they feel protected, safe and can lay down.

When there is no strife among the sheep, they can lay down.
When the irritants of the day like flies and insects subside, they can lay down.
When they are fed and watered, they can lay down.

David knew the way of the sheep. He watched them and cared for them.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.

Psalm 23: 1-2

The Holiday Season

2010-11-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

This time of year can be hectic. The holiday season has somehow been transformed from a day of thanks to Black Friday, from a morning of Joy and worship to a day of football and parades and tinsel, from a season of preparation to a season of frenzy.

Take the time to be refreshed and renewed this year. Simplify. Slow down. Pray more.

Give the gift of YOUR time to someone. Reach out to a hurting world.

When you are tired of the busyness and feel like you have no time, give your time to another. It's counter intuitive but is is the the way God works.

Proverbs 11:25
"He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

What will you do with the next 61 days?

2010-10-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

On November 1, there will be 61 days left in the year.

There is another 61 for you to consider … Isaiah 61.

The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of his splendor.

During the next 61 days, live with that promise.
During the next 61 days, reach out to others with that heart.
For the next 61 days go into the world and heal the brokenhearted, preach the good news to the poor and proclaim freedom to the captives.
Go, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Jesus Saves

2010-10-22T05:18:00.000-07:00

In downtown Los Angeles, on Hope Street, stood The Church of the Open Door. It stood there for seventy years until it was demolished in the late 80’s after some severe earthquake damage. R.A Torrey founded it. Louis T. Talbot and J. Vernon McGee were senior pastors there. It was in the heart of the city. Some even said it was the soul of the city. What I remember was the sign on the top of the building. In big, bold, red neon, the sign declared JESUS SAVES.

Over the years, big glass skyscrapers were built all around that church. At night, you could see the reflection of that sign from several vantage points due to the reflections of the many glass walls surrounding the church. It was simply amazing. In my early days as a new Christian, I would listen to J. Vernon McGee preach. I heard sound doctrine, solid gospel and honest conviction.

Last week I heard a message from another radio pastor who has gone on to be with the Lord. Adrian Rogers. He was saying something I had not heard anyone say before.

“Oh yes, Jesus saves”, he said. “It is what he does. He saves sinners like you and me”, he went on. I’ve heard that and know that. I’ve been saved by the blood of Jesus.

What was different was this … He said “many people declare that they have been saved by Jesus. The problem is they have not made Jesus the Lord of their life. Lord is WHO He is and saving is WHAT He does.

The question Pastor Rogers put plainly was this … Is Jesus Lord of your life? If not, why not? Is He Lord of your marriage and job and children and finances or is He recognized as simply the one who saved a wretch.

I’ve been chewing on that thought for a few days now. The conviction of the Spirit has been gnawing at my heart.

Thank you father for sending your Son to save a wretch like me. All I am and all I have are yours, Jesus. Forgive me for the things I have done and left undone without you being considered Lord of my life. Be the Lord of my Life each day and each moment and each breath. Thank you Jesus for who you are ... King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen and Amen.

God's Provision

2010-10-08T01:53:00.000-07:00

This morning I was reading in Exodus again. This time I was in Chapter 16. It didn’t take long for the Israelites to go from the Song of Moses – praising God – to the grumbling hoard in the middle of nowhere.

They grumbled about bitter water and God provided sweet water. They grumbled about food and God provided heavenly nourishment. They grumbled about amount of water and God provided abundant water.

Amazing grace.

Think about it for a moment. How much manna per day? Two and a half million people were given an omer (roughly two quarts per person) of manna per day. That’s five million quarts or over 208 thousand bushels of food PER DAY. Talk about the abundant blessing of God’s provision and it wasn’t for a day or a week. It was for 12,500 days!

They even got tired of manna and grumbled about eating meat and God provided quail.

WOW.

Thank you Lord for your provision.

Help me Lord not to take your provision for granted.

Open my eyes to see your hand in everything you provide.

Soften my heart to not be hardened with feelings of entitlements but songs of praise.

Give me grace to do what you have called me to do this day with gratitude and thanksgiving.

In Jesus Name I pray.

Amen

The Song of Moses

2010-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Chaos to Peace
Bondage to Freedom
Many Idols to One God
A People to His People
Eminent Defeat to Ultimate Victory

Many say the familiar story in Exodus of the Hebrew people leaving Egypt, slavery and idolatry to the temporary promised land seems to be so long ago and so irrelevant to today. May I offer some relevance?

“They cried out”, it says in the text. Notice scripture records they didn’t even cry out to God … they just cried out. But God heard the cry of the people. Our God hears!

After the 10th plague, they left Egypt. The Egyptians gave them gold and silver and fine linen to GET OUT. How odd is that? The Hebrew’s were going into the wilderness. Where would they use the gold and fine linen out there?

They were led by a pillar of smoke and fire. They walked three days, leaving the tomb of bondage in Egypt and ending up at the Red Sea - the Sea of Reeds. Behind them was an army of destruction. Where they were was at the edge of the Abyss. On the other side was the wilderness of unknowns. Trapped!

On that third night, did they wonder if they made the right decision? Over two million people made the decision to follow Moses and leave their homes and security and things they knew. They had seen the finger of God work in the plagues. They stayed up all night “watching” the Angel of Death pass over their home and exact death on the households of Egypt. Here they were again … at night … watching. What would happen now?

At midnight, Moses stood up and walked to the edge of the sea. As instructed by God, he stretched out his staff over the sea. The East wind blew like never before. The sea rolled back. God provided a way. Only two minutes before, what looked like a trap and destruction, now became a path and a destination. The wind … the Ruach … blew and the abyss became dry land. Destruction by men became salvation by God.

In the middle of the night 2.5 million men, women and children along with all of their flocks and herds and possessions walked across the dry land in the middle of the Sea of Reeds. The wall of water was on both sides of the pathway. They were in “over their heads” now. There was no turning back. There was full commitment. Either God will save me or I will surely die!

The Egyptian army followed in hot pursuit. If this is a natural occurrence, then surely they would be able to follow the Hebrews through the sea. They had their own gods. Their god of Horace – the god of war – was providing a way. What happened to the Hebrews was they believed. What happened to the Egyptians was they assumed. The Hebrews were saved; the Egyptians were destroyed and lost.

At the break of dawn, after that third night on the edge of destruction, salvation came. The Hebrews were given a “new life”. They were taken out of the grave and resurrected. Laying on the shoreline of the sea was the rubble of the mighty chariots of Egypt and the dead corpses of horses and men. Standing on the shoreline was a people – God’s people – singing and dancing.

“I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously
The horse and rider thrown into the sea.
The Lord, my God, my strength, my song,
has now become my victory!”

Does this story have any relevance today? Are you battling with the slavery of addictions? Is the comfort of this culture baiting you with the idols of this culture? Is your life wandering about with no direction? Are you being chased by the chariots of your past? Do you feel like your back is against a wall and there is no escape? Are you just crying out?

Read Exodus chapters 12 thru 14 again. Read it slowly. Put yourself, your family, your job, your predicament into the story.

Then read Exodus 15.

Some scholars say that the beginning of the “kingdom of heaven on earth” happened when God chose a people and the people chose God. He “reigned” as their King. I believe God’s kingdom has no beginning and no end, but this certainly was a seminal event.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, there are two songs that we should practice and know by heart. One is the Song of Moses and the other is the Song of The Lamb. You see, we will be singing these for an eternity. Read Revelation 15:3 and then remember regardless of your apparent situation, our God reigns and we can sing and dance. To God be the glory forever and ever.

Gethsemane - The Oil Press

2010-09-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Mount of Olives lies across the Yoshafat Valley and is about 260 feet higher elevation than the Temple Mount of Jerusalem. It was from this vantage point that David fled from Absalom and wept. It was from this place, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem.

Just below the Mount of Olives is the place we westerners call “The Garden of Gethsemane”. More accurately it was the place where the olives were processed from the harvest. The olives were picked and gathered for fruit, lighting, lubricating oil, health care and anointing. The oil press in ancient days was stone. This stone press was called a gethsemane.

The process of extracting oil from the olive fruit was fairly simple. You put the olives into the basin of the Olive crusher. The Olive crusher had a mill stone that would have a beam that rolled the stone over the olives to “crush” them. Once crushed, the pulp would be put in baskets. These baskets would be placed under the Gat (a place for pressing) shemanim (oil). This Gatsemanim stone would then press down on the crushed olives and extract the oil.

Jesus went to the place where olives were harvested to be “crushed”. The weight of the world was the mill stone. The weight of the sins of the world pressed down on him just like the rock slab pressed down on the baskets of olives.
The Gospel of Luke states that the sweat of Jesus was “like drops of blood falling on the ground”.

Jesus took on the full weight of our sin – yours and mine. He was pressed down.

Somehow, that image of the Gethsemane experience of Jesus makes my burdens seem lite and my yoke easy.

The Awe of God

2010-08-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, our pastor made a comment in his sermon that has stuck with me all week. The text was in Luke 9:28 thru 56 but the part I have been pondering was verse 43 …

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God (NIV)
And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. (KJV)
And they were all astonished at the majesty of God. (ASV)
Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power. (NLT)
They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God's greatness, God's majestic greatness. (Message)
And all were astounded at the evidence of God's mighty power and His majesty and magnificence. (Amplified)

Greatness, Mighty power, majesty – how do you describe God as He works in your life?

One of the translations offered a specific word that intrigued me. AWE. I can’t count the number of times I’ve said “we have an awesome God”!

Consider this … we live between the AWE-SOME and the AWE-FUL of life. There are times when our lives seem to be FULL of bad things happening. There are other times when we have glimpses of SOME wonderful miracles or answers to prayers.

In either case, God is worthy of our AWE!

War? - What war?

2010-08-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the 60’s on the west coast, there was so much talk about peace not war. There were so many slogans, like make love not war. There were so many people against everything rather than for anything.

Fast forward to today.

One of the least understood items we make is our WordCube – The Armor of God.
The whole idea of putting on armor. Even the concept of going to war. We want somebody to protect us. We want somebody to keep us safe. We want someone to make us more secure. We want something to make us feel like we won’t be in harm’s way.

So many lies and so little time.

A short time before Jesus set his eyes on Jerusalem and the cross and one of the last “trips”with his disciples was to Caesarea Philippi. A little history here …
West and North of the Sea of Galilee was Jewish territory. East and South of the Sea of Galilee was called the Decapolis region. This region was considered evil. It was considered pagan. This area was NOT where a good Jewish rabbi would want to go. Yet this is where Jesus took his disciples for another teaching. They went across the Abyss (the deep water) to a place of evil. Jesus took them to Caesarea Philippi, where “The Gates of Hades” was.

Pan worship was prevalent at this time. You know that four legged Grecian image … half man / half goat playing a flute instrument. The Temple of Pan was here in Caesarea Philippi where there was a deep crack in the rock where a huge spring of water gushed out. That crack or cave was considered to be the entrance to the underworld … the “gates of Hell” for the Pan worshipers there.

Along the short walk from the seashore to this “place”, Jesus asked his disciples, “who do people say that I am?”. Rightly, Peter said, "You are the Christ,[b] the Son of the living God." Here they were, going to an evil place where people worship a goat- god – and Peter declares that Jesus is the living son of God!

Jesus declares to his disciples, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter,[c] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[d] will not overcome it.[e] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[g] loosed in heaven." 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

The disciples were in this evil country, looking at an evil place and they were in the presence of the Son of God. They were looking at a rock with water coming out of it. There were idols. There was idolatry all around. There were probable many people who came to this place to receive water and refreshment and a spiritual event in their lives.

I think Jesus took the disciples to this unholy region, unholy city, unholy temple to make the statement …

Even here in the most unholy of unholy places – my church will stand and conquer. Even the “gates of hell” cannot prevail.

Jesus was preparing his disciples (including us) to know that no matter where were go, if we go, when we go in His name and His power and His authority, we will prevail.

The Armor of God

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

2010-05-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

Seeds, roots and fruit.

When I was young, our family lived in a rural part of Southern California on several acres of land. We had over 20 different kinds of fruit trees growing on our property. At different times during the year, different trees would bear different fruit. There was almost always some kind of fruit growing and ripe for harvest. I would come home from school and go out into the yard and pick a fresh piece of fruit and eat it ... right off the tree.

Nearly every year, we would "plant" a couple of new trees. My dad and I would drive 40 miles to the nearest Nursery Store and pick out a twig in a sack. There was no fruit on the tree. We had to trust that the sign or tag on the twig was correct and that WAS the type of fruit that would eventually be harvested.

During the spring, I would get to pick out some seeds at the Nursery Store to take home and plant for the summer garden. I would always pick out watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, corn, pumpkin. Then I would try different seeds. One year I planted strawberries and another year it was squash and another year peppers. Then it was different kinds of watermelon or tomatoes or corn to try. I picked the seed, to grow the root to get the fruit. It was a great lesson to learn as a child. I had to water, cultivate, pull weeds, prune, keep the “varmints” out and care for the plants as they were growing in order to see the fruit and enjoy the harvest.

Is there a spiritual lesson in all of this?

Consider …

Without the seed, there is no harvest. The seed determines what type of root will grow. The seed is very small. The seed doesn’t give any indication of what the fruit will be. The seed needs to be planted in the ground. The seed needs to be watered to produce a root. The seed, once planted, is never seen again.

The root grows out of the seed. Good seed produces a strong root. Healthy seed produces faster than a weak seed. The root goes down before the stem comes up. The root provides the foundation. The root provides all of the necessities for growth. The root can be choked off by lack of water or weeds taking the nutrients away. It’s hard to “see” the work of the root for awhile. It takes faith and time to grow the garden. You have to trust that the seed was good and the root is strong.

When the stem comes up, there is so much excitement. Finally, we can see something happening. Still no fruit. Still no harvest.

There is more cultivation, more watering, more fertilization, more weeding, more care, more waiting. Still no fruit. Still no harvest.

Finally, the first fruit appears. Now it needs EVEN MORE CARE. We see the fruit but it needs to stay attached to the vine. It needs to stay connected to the root. It needs to mature. It needs to ripen until the right time.

At the appointed time, the fruit is harvested. When we bite into that piece of watermelon or tomato or orange, we finally can see and fully experience the “fruit” of our labor.

The Father made the seed and the ground and all of the nutrients needed to plant.

The Spirit plants the seed.

The Son is the root and the vine.

We are the branches.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”.

Galatians 5:22

Is the Word of God seeded in your life?

Are you rooted in Christ?

Are you growing and being cultivated?

What fruit do you bear?

Wealth, Health, Integrity

2010-05-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

I heard this quote today.

It came from Billy Graham.

"When wealth is lost,
nothing is lost.

When health is lost,
something is lost.

When integrity is lost,
all is lost".

Bailouts, deals, blame, fault.
Our world today seems focused on the wrong things.

Grace, mercy, hope, love.
Things that endure.

Why Wood??

2010-03-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

There are so many variables to using wood as the basis for the work and ministry we do. The world has en-cultured us to expect everything to be uniform and to be consistent. Plastics and resins and “man made” materials abound.

We’ve chosen a different point of view.

Jesus, our Savior, died on an imperfect cross made of wood. The” Perfection of the Ages” hung on an old rugged cross. The nails were rusted. The wood was warped. The blood was precious. The price was beyond cost.

We make HoldingCrosses and our WordCubes and PrayerCubes out of wood. The wood is imperfect. So are we. Not every imperfection in our work is covered over. In fact, we generally will struggle to decide about letting a piece go through our “quality control” process because we are led by the spirit to believe that someone will be blessed knowing that this piece is imperfect just like they are.

Jesus died on the cross to make that which was imperfect (you and me), acceptable to The Father. The work we do isn’t perfect. His was!

We work with natural wood as a reminder that He was a carpenter. He worked with wood. He cut, shaped, sanded and made pieces of work that would bless others.
Why wood?

Because Jesus did his best work with wood.

How is your tent?

2010-03-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

In Numbers 9:15, Moses built two tents. One was called the Tent of Meeting. The other was called the Tabernacle.

As they were going through the wilderness, on their way to the Promised Land, they were guided by The Pillar of Fire by night and The Cloud by day.

When the Pillar or Cloud stopped, it was time to pitch the tent. Sometimes it was for weeks or maybe days or even hours. God was teaching His people to keep their eyes on Him and to trust in Him always.

Moses was instructed to pitch the Tent of Meeting on the outside of the encampment. It was to be away from the daily grind. It was to be set apart. It was to be special. Everyone in the camp could see when Moses was called to go to the Tent of Meeting as the Pillar or Cloud would descend upon it. God was present. Everyone stood outside their own tent and watched and waited and worshiped.
Moses went in and listened to God. God spoke. Moses listened. Isn’t it interesting that the Bible mentions how God conversed with Moses … but not much about Moses conversing with God. In the presence of the Almighty God, Moses listened much more than he spoke.

Today, we have been given a Tent of Meeting ... a place to go where we meet God. It is separated from the daily life. It is set apart. It is Holy ground. It is in the mind of each believer in Jesus, the Christ. Scripture tells us to "put on the mind of Christ".

And the Tabernacle? It is our heart. When we are born again, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He lives in us! He abides in us!

How is your Tent? Are you coming to Him in the midst of this wilderness we call life? Are you focused on Him day and night. Moving when He moves. Stopping when He stops. Walking in the Spirit.

An Interesting Number - 40

2010-02-27T05:32:00.000-08:00

This is the liturgical season of Lent. For the western church, this is the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday (excluding Sundays).

Most of my adult life, Lent was a time of prayer and fasting. Lent was a time of soul searching. Lent was a time of giving things up and a commitment to starting others. I never really associated Lent with the number 40. It was just 40 days.

Here are a few other events that happened in the Bible that associate with the number 40;

Noah and the flood – 40 days and nights (Gen 7)
Moses on Mt Sinai for 40 days (Ex 14)
The Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years (Num 4)
Elijah on Mt Horeb for 40 days (1 Kings 19)
Ninevah had to repent in 40 days (Jonah 3)
Jesus was tempted after 40 days in the wilderness (Mat 4)
Jesus was in the tomb 40 hours (traditional belief)

Looking at that list puts a whole different perspective on the importance of 40. Is God emphasizing something with 40?

Maybe 40 is the right number of hours / days / weeks / years that it takes for God to break through to our hardened hearts. Maybe 40 is taking what is in the world (4 seasons, 4 corners of the earth, etc) and multiplying by God’s divine perfection (10) so that we are “in the world but not of the world”.

Maybe it’s just enough time for us to break old habits and to be transformed into a new way of living.

Here is one more interesting fact …

On Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) , some people call it Carnival. Sounds like a party! Sounds like the last day before we go into the season of Lent. The word carnival in Latin means - farewell to meat. Consider giving up meat for Lent. Giving up the flesh. Giving up yourself.

And the greatest of these is Love

2010-02-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

History indicates that there are at least three Saint Valentine’s recognized in the Roman Catholic Church. The Latin name Valentinus is derived from the word valens which means worthy. During the reign of Claudius II in the second century, a Roman priest was arrested and imprisoned for marrying Christian couples. Helping Christians, during that era, was considered a crime. The priest, Valentinus, was beaten, stoned and beheaded on February 14^th.

Like so many other days on the Church calendar, the remembrance of St Valentine has been romanticized and commercialized over the years. What was a commemoration of a martyred priest for spreading the gospel and marrying couples in the faith, has become chocolate, flowers, candy and hearts.

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline”. It is interesting that he chose those specific words.

Maybe this year you might consider those words as they relate to St Valentine and his work as it may apply to you live in a fresh and new way.

Power and active not passive and timid

Stop to notice others

See the wonder of the small and the beautiful

Listen to the story of others

Say I love you more often

Loving not lacking

Sing like nobody is listening

Dance like nobody is watching

Love like you have never been hurt

Give like your life depends on it

Disciplined life that is Kingdom purposed not self purposed

Be about the Father’s business

His work. His presence

Give thanks in all things

Glorify Him in the small and the large

Walking and living in the spirit requires discipline.

Discipline to let go.

Discipline to focus on Him.

Discipline to be poured out.

Discipline to know you’ll be filled up.

Discipline to live in Faith, Hope and Love.

And the greatest of these is Love.

Happy Valentines Day.

Made in America

2010-01-06T10:14:00.001-08:00

WE, THE PEOPLE …have much to say about what is happening and going to happen in our country. We are included in the economy of our country.

"In order for America to remain truly competitive in a global economy, we must invest in our workforce to stimulate small business growth. Small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs in this country, and the vast majority of them are paying their new workers higher than the minimum wage." ---Sen. John Kerry

I saw this on a website called madeinusa.org. It was an excerpt from an email

John Smith started the day early,
having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 am.

While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking,
he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG),
and put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA),
designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and
tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA).

After cooking his breakfast in his new
electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA),
he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO),
to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN)
to the radio (MADE IN INDIA),
he got in his car (MADE IN JAPAN),
filled it with GAS (from SAUDIA ARABIA)
to continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day
checking his Computer (made in MALAYSIA),
John decided to relax for a while.

He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL),
poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE)
and turned on his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA),

and then wondered why he can't find
a good paying job in AMERICA.

Well, we are a family owned business operating in Frisco, Texas. We make all of The HoldingCrosses here in Frisco. All of our employees are tax-paying American citizens. We pay self employment taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes, unemployment and social security taxes and personal income taxes. As small business owners, we create jobs and support our economy. Over 95% of our product sales are for items made in the USA.

Prayerfully consider buying products made in the USA, like The HoldingCrossTM.

The gift of Love

2009-12-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

This is a note from one of our customers ...

Jack and Carol,
A holding cross has given me and my family such joy, that I wanted to share it with you. My father was fighting a rare intestinal cancer for the past year and a half. He was always the stoic unemotional bread-winner. He had this solid steel shell that seemingly could not be penetrated. Even during his intense radiation and chemo program, he would give you the impression that “it’s just a phase, and I’ll be better soon.” Although he didn’t show it, his condition was becoming more severe, and in September my wife, kids and I started praying our “Dad’s prayer” at night to “Please Lord, be there for Dad so when he closes his eyes at night, he can hug you and be the shoulder to silently cry on. Please make him understand, even the toughest man needs a father he can go to and let it all out, and you Lord are his Father.”

A couple of days later, we were in your store to buy holding crosses for our boys baptism. Afterwards, I thought my mom would like one that she could hold while my father went through a surgery. So our boys made a “Good Luck” card, and I wrote a letter to my father. I told him for the first time, how proud I was of him, how lucky his kids were to have him as a father. Then I wrote in the letter how I sent the holding cross so Mom can hold while he is in surgery. Well, somehow my wording was not very clear, and he thought the cross was for him. He called me, with tears in his eyes, and an audible lump in his throat. He began to tell me that it was the greatest gift he had ever been given, and it touched him like nothing else ever had. These were words I never would have expected to here from my impenetrable father. I didn’t understand what happened, but I never told him I sent the cross for Mom. It wasn’t until a few days later when my wife, kids and I were saying our “Dad’s prayer”, that it hit me. Our prayer was being answered! Dad was hugging the cross, and he knew he had the Lord to turn to and open up. He had the cross blessed by his church pastor, and he carried it with him everywhere he went.

On November 23rd 2009, he passed away at the age of 62. The short time that I was able to share with him without that impenetrable shield, will last with me forever, and my mom now carries the cross with her so she can hold him. Thank you for having the vision that a small piece of wood, when lovingly worked, can have such a huge impact on the lives of others. I wish you and your family continued success, and I pray that for every person your product touches, your heart gains a little bit of that joy. Merry Christmas.

2009-11-03T07:49:00.001-08:00

The heavens declare the glory of God … Psalm 19:1

As a child, I was able to see history in a very real sense. My father was an Aeronautical Engineer and Project Manager for the Atlas Missile System that protected our country during the Cold War and propelled John Glenn into orbit aboard Frendship 7.

In 1962, Colonel Glenn circled the globe three times on that historic February day. Everyone watched and listened to that moment in time.

John Glenn also served our country as a United States senator for twenty-five years.

On October 29, 1998, John Glenn became the oldest human, at the age of 77, ever to venture into space. He was shuttled once more into space aboard the Discovery.

As Glenn looked out the windows of Discovery, he made this statement …

“To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith. I wish there were words to describe what it’s like.”

The Great I AM

2009-08-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

In the New Testament, Jesus declared a most profound statement. He told his disciples. He told the Pharisees. He told the crowd. He told the strangers.

He said – I AM

The living bread – Jn 6:51
From above - Jn 6:51
The light of the world – Jn 8:12
I Am – Jn 8:58
The door - Jn 10:9
The Son of God – Jn 10:36
The resurrection and the life – Jn 11:25
The way, the truth and the life – Jn 15:1
The King of the Jews – Jn 19:2
Jesus whom you are persecuting – Acts 9:5

Using the I AM to describe Himself was unheard of. To the Jews of that day this was blasphemous. Since the beginning, the Torah has taught the sacred and holy Name of God is I AM.

Moses was in the presence of God and asked Him a very personal question. Reading in Genesis 3:13 – 14:

“When I come to the children of Israel and say to them “the God of your fathers has sent me to you”, and they say to me “what is His Name, what shall I say to them”?

Hashem answered Moses, “ I Shall be as I Shall Be”. And He said, “so shall you say to the children of Israel, I Shall Be has sent me to you”.

Hashem literally means “The Name”. The Name above all names. When God answered Moses question he called Himself “I Shall Be as I Shall Be”. This Name is His Divine Nature and His Divine Description of Himself.

Jill Briscoe, a local pastor recently commented on a literal translation of the “I Shall Be as I Shall Be” to mean this …

“I Am all that you need me to be

When you need me to be

All that I Am”.

I like that. The Name above all names. The great I Am. Jesus is the I Am all that you need me to be when you need me to be all that I Am!

Light'n Up!

2009-08-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it funny how the world tries to distort things? Has anyone ever told you to “lighten up”? Consider it a complement or a conviction.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3

There was a void and there was darkness. The world continues to seek darkness and to live in darkness and to hide in darkness. God created light on that first “day” and forever separated the light from the darkness.

In the temple court, Jesus saved a woman from being stoned to death for her adulterous act. Then Jesus declares;

“I am the light of the world.
He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12

God created the light and God is The Light. Where there is light, darkness cannot exist.

If Jesus is The Light of your life, then there cannot be darkness in your life. When you see or feel darkness, go to The Light. Lift up your voice and give thanks in prayer that Jesus is The Light of the world and His Spirit lives in you.

--------------

Praise You Father for giving us Light and taking us out of darkness by the blood of your Son.
Thank You Jesus for coming into my life to be my Savior and Redeemer.
Thank You Lord for showing me your Light as I walk this day.
Fill my path with your Light and my way with your Word.
Guide me and guard me this day as I follow You.
Encourage me throughout the day, by your Spirit, to lighten up a dark world with your Love and Grace.

Amen.

How do you know?

2009-07-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

How do you know the will of God?

The world answers that question with the pursuit of knowledge. We must learn what the will of God is. We must search out His Word and know. We must discipline ourselves to understanding.

There is another consideration.

What if the “education” of the will of God in my life is more profound and simpler than that? What if the discernment of the will of God is to obey him!

Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest, “Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey”.

The spiritual muscles of my life grow and mature as I progress through the daily application of the relationship with Jesus.

More than just thinking about Him.
Deeper than being one with Him
Doing His will

"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine . . ." John 7:17

God Is Right There With You

2009-05-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

It is not uncommon to receive communication from HoldingCross owners sharing with us their HoldingCross stories. Here is one just received from Montana ...

"I received the 2 HoldingCrosses that I ordered. I sent the one that said "God be with you" to my alcoholic brother. When I sent it, I included a note saying "when you feel alone, this will remind you that you are never alone, God is right there with you". He called as soon as he received it and said "I don't know how you manage to find such wonderful and loving gifts that you send me but this one is the ultimate and I will treasure it always"."

We never really know what to expect when we give a gift. It is not unusual for me to spend a bit of time deciding what I would like to give, the details (color, size, shape, etc) and finally, the card ... what do I write? Trying to convey a message can be challenging at times.

The HoldingCross seems to convey its own message. Time and again we are told it was the "perfect" gift. We can never know in advance how it will be received; but, in trusting the Lord with both the giving and receiving, we can have His Peace knowing that God can reach and minister where we cannot.

Thanks be to God!Carol