We are forever trying to measure up to someone’s expectations of ourselves, often what we expect of ourselves. Growing up I faced a father who made me feel that I could do nothing right. Dad wasn’t abusive, he really didn’t yell at me, although I sometimes wished that he would. Now I am 62 years old and still do things that I think would make my dad proud. Perhaps some little voice in our head has driven us into being a workaholic, constantly trying to measure up to someone else’s standards. Every workaholic seems to have some fear of loss or some need for self-acceptance.

            Man is forever competing with someone or something in order to achieve some sort of recognition. The 2010 Olympics show just how hard we can push our youth to be the greatest. Sometimes I think that our school system places greater emprises on sports than education. We are always trying to live up to someone’s expectations or at least what we think they expect.

            Proverbs 3:6 (TLB) says, “Put God first and He will…crown your efforts with success.” God won’t ask how many sports games we won, nor will he ask how many promotions you got at work. God won’t ask how many friends we had or the number of good deeds we did. He won’t ask the color of our skin, if we wore name brand clothes, he would be more interested in who you helped. The neighborhood doesn’t matter either, just that you were a good neighbor. God is more concerned about the quality of your character. Don’t just work hard, work for the glory of God.

            God’s yardstick measures the heart, not your appearance. “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) it is the heart of faith that really matters to God. Sometimes we look in the mirror expecting to see perfection when there is only imperfection. Often we do things that to ourselves have one motive while giving the illusion to others that we are doing something else. It may look good to us but how does it look to God.

            Neither the Metric System nor the U S Customary System can measure your heart, only God can measure the intent of your heart. Working for the wrong reasons can not renovate your heart; only His love, power, and forgiveness can do it. Why not measure up with God’s yardstick today?

            Imagine the sea echoing its song of praise, the rivers clapping and the mountains singing for joy. Would you join in with them, rejoicing God’s great works and your salvation? Miriam sang a song of praise when the sea closed in on the Egyptians. (Exodus 15:20-21) Saul was made well when David played the harp for him. (1Samuel 16:23) Mary was filled with song when the angel announced that she would give birth to Jesus. (Luke 1:46-47) What would your song be?

            Yes there is power in music, it inspires, refreshes and relaxes us. A lullaby slows down the pace while loud and upbeat music speeds us up. I once got a speeding ticket while driving and singing to a rather peppy gospel song. King Saul as result of his disobedience to God lived in a state of misery, yet David’s harp brought him a little relaxation. Many times I have felt that I tend to relax and concentrate easier when I am only listening to instrumental music without the vocal. Praise and Worship music gets one excited and open to God’s Word at the worship services.

            Just as Julie Andrews sang from her heart, God expects us to sing from the heart. Each one of us singing praises to God for what He has done. Your song doesn’t have to be written down; it is yours and yours alone, it’s your song of praise to God. God made each one of us unique, with our own song of praise.

            Make known to others what God has done for you. The songs that we sing in church tell of the greatness of God. Sing them with a joyful noise, one that God will recognize. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, telling them of the value of singing from the heart. (Ephesians 5:15-20)  Songs from the heart have been sung in the Old and New Testaments; let a song from your heart share the joy of what God has done you.

            Country artist, AaronTippin, wrote a song that says, “You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything.” Values that once were held high are too much trouble and buckle knees. Tanya Tucker sang about a tree in the back yard that had never been broken by the wind because it was strong enough to bend. We need to be strong, yet not brittle. Luke 21:26, says “Men’s hearts failing them for fear…” doesn’t refer to failing hearts as one my think, it is referring to man having no more courage to continue. What stand would you take on an important issue? Would you take the stand for something, be strong enough to bend, or have a heart that wouldn’t fail?

            A young man from Coventry, Connecticut named Nathan Hale took a stand for his beliefs. After graduation from Yale College, he became a teacher in New London, Connecticut where he took on his first stands. Women were not given the same opportunity for an education that men were given so he set up a special class for them from 5AM to 7AM. Nathan Hale’s strong Christian ideals and a country that he believed in led him to take another stand; he joined the militia in the fight against the British. He never fought in a battle, yet while working behind enemy lines, he was captured, and at 21 years old was hanged as a spy by the British. His last statement expressed his stand for what he believed, “I regret that I only have but one life to live for my country.”

            The Bible is full of men and women who took their stand to the limit. Ester risked her life to save her people. David put his life on the line when he fought Goliath. Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den for standing for God. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not bow down to an idol. John is the only one of the 12 disciples to die a natural death, the rest faced martyrdom for their beliefs.

            Death may seem a little extreme as a stand for the things that you feel are important to you. Suffering is minor to what some have faced. Life is full of challenging decisions, many that cause weak knees. We must take stands as Christians, parents, business persons, and even as citizens in the operation of our country.

James 1:5-8 deals with faith. When we ask God for the wisdom to make decisions, He will answer. God always welcomes us in the freest manner. A person who continually goes one way and then another reveals his own instability. James 1:8 describes it this way, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” This verse refers to dedication to the cross and the unstable type of faith that God does not like. I believe that it covers the people who just don’t know what they want.

Don’t be weak in the knees, stand up for God and country for what you believe. God will honor the person who stands for Him.

            A Wyoming cowboy was repairing a fence some great distance from his ranch house. The sky was cloudy; it was quite obvious that a storm was brewing. Just as the cowboy was finishing the fence a blizzard blew in, tools were gathered up and he jumped in the truck for the trip back home. A turn of the ignition switch, a dead battery and there was no one within miles, leaving the cowboy with but one option, to ask God for just enough power to start the truck. Three days later he was found frozen to death in his truck. That cowboy showed up in heaven and asked God why he didn’t answer his prayer request to start the truck. God answered, “Oh that was you, hadn’t heard from you for so long, I didn’t recognize the voice, I started a truck in Minnesota.”

            How true it is that we only pray when we are desperate. James writes: “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:3 NKJV) Believing in prayer is just not the same as praying. How many times have you thought about, talked to friends about, wished for or hoped for something but never really prayed for it? Prayer is simply letting God know what you want. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” You have to go to the Lord in prayer.

            Satan tries his best to derail our confidence that prayer will be answered. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of Grace with confidence.” Prayer should be directed to God in a manner that you know He hears you. It is okay to talk to God. Grace means that God will give us a lot that we don’t deserve.

            I have found over the years that I spend a lot more time talking to God than actually praying. Sometimes I’ll be working by myself, need an extra hand, and just say “Lord I could use an extra hand”, and He always is there with that helping hand. In one of Randy Travis’ songs, he sings, “His line ain’t ever busy.” What in the world would I do if I got a busy signal? The hardest thing that I do is trusting God with some of my needs. Not every prayer gets answered right away; God chooses the time and place to answer them.      

The Bible gives us assurance in 1 John 5:14, “If we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us.” Prayer according to the Word of God makes the prayer His Will. Always present your request to God with a “not my will, but your will be done.”

Talk to God, Don’t be a stranger.

            Two years ago I wrote an e-message using this title. Today I feel that it would be a fitting time to re-write the message. Some times we just need a little reminder of just how blessed we really are; here is the message today.

            I was caught up in; what I need and what I don’t have, when right on the window sill over the kitchen sink was a poem, “Thank God for Dirty Dishes.” The dirty dish or two in the sink, the poem says, shows that unlike some people, we have food to dirty those dishes. Seems like we get caught up in counting “don’t haves” instead of “do haves.” My self-pity began to fade when an old tune came to mind, “Count your many blessing, and name them one by one.” God has promised us what we need, Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” God knows what we need as well as what is bad for us. The next time you want something, big or small, ask God for that blessing. Be patient God will answer; He may say no, you don’t need what you asked for or maybe you aren’t ready for that blessing, when He answers yes, don’t forget to say thanks. God knows best, some of our greatest blessings are unanswered prayers. Ezekiel 34:26 says “there will be showers of blessings”, get ready to count and thank God for all the blessings He sends.

            Yesterday we had 8 inches of snow, a blessing to one who plows snow. Several hours into my list of snow plowing, the hydraulics quit on my tractor. The tractor doctor diagnosed the problem as a broken shaft in the hydraulic pump. I have just been blessed with a money maker; I could pay a couple bills and cover the church rent that we weren’t even close to having. Adding to my pity party, all of the customers that depend on me for snow removal were going to be let down. Although I was having a bit of trouble understanding just how, my wife assured me that everything would be okay.

            This morning began with clear skies and –2 degree temperature. My neighbor, who is currently on vacation had told me that if I needed his tractor that I was welcome to use it. The blessing have started, I have a tractor, no cab on a cold day, but a tractor that I can plow snow with. Praise the Lord, all places were plowed and I saved face with my customers. Now here is the biggest blessing of all; a detour to a last minute snow plowing. When I was asked, “How much do I owe you?” I answered “don’t worry about it” and then that person asked if they could write a check to the church. I was handed a check for $500.00 dollars, the rent on the church is covered. God is good.

            Here is that little poem:

                         Thank God for dirty dishes,

                             They have a tale to tell.

                          While others may go hungry,

                              We’re eating very well

                           With home, health, and happiness,

                               I shouldn’t want to fuss,

                            By the stack of evidence,

                          God’s been very good to us.

            Indeed God has been good. This poem speaks of dirty dishes, yet the message it delivers is a lot greater, “God’s been very good to us”.