How About YOU?
8-5-2026
My friend, Lynn Wheeler, is an evangelist. He travels the country preaching the Gospel. Recently he posted something online that caught my attention………so I’m going to share it with you. It’s a question……but it’s also a challenge. Here’s what he wrote:
If everyone served the way YOU serve…….
if everyone gave the way YOU give………
if everyone loved the way YOU love……….
if everyone prayed the way YOU pray………
if everyone was as faithful as YOU are.………
what would the church look like?
I’ve let that roll around for awhile, and I’ve decided that I can……and will, do better.
And you?
God’s Restoration Process
8-3-2026
I’ve never seen it in person, but word on the street is that the Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City is stunningly beautiful and may be his finest work. For four years, between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo lay on his back on a scaffold, creating one of the greatest artistic triumphs in history. This would be a massive undertaking today, but to tackle this over 500 years ago was unheard of. When it was finished, everyone who saw it found themselves with their jaws hanging open in wonder of the beauty of his work.
Unfortunately, the unique and magnificent work of art began to fade over time. Less than a century later, no one could remember what the original frescoes had looked like. The vibrancy of the colors seemed to pale and the nuances of the painting itself seemed to almost blur somewhat as time marched on. One person described it this way: “We see the colors of the Sistine ceiling as if through smoked glass.”
A proposal was made to “clean” and “restore” the ceiling to it’s original glory. There was uncertainty, however, regarding what the process might actually do to the painting itself. In 1981, two art-restorers carefully cleaned a small corner of the painting using a special solution. It was a slow process, and when finished, they invited experts to examine the work. The result was breathtaking. No one had imagined that such vibrant colors lay beneath the centuries of accumulated dust and dirt.
The success of this partial project prompted the approval to restore the entire ceiling, a task that was completed on December 31, 1989. It took twice as long to clean the ceiling as it had taken Michelangelo to paint it. But the result was breathtaking. For the first time in nearly 5 centuries, people were able to view this masterpiece the way it was intended, in all of its color and beauty.
You and I are a lot like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Just when we feel like our work is finished, just when we take a deep breath and let it out, God goes to work restoring the parts of our lives that dust and dirt have dulled. We don’t always appreciate the restoration process, but the end result? WOW!
It may take longer than you expect, but the end result will be the same: Your life will be filled with the vibrant colors that He has planned for you from the very beginning. We read this reminder in the New Testament book of Revelation:
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5a, NIV)
God is making everything new………including me and you. Embrace the process because the end result is out of this world!
Nothing To Do With Anything
7-22-2026
Jim Abbott grew up dreaming of playing baseball with his friends, even dreamed of someday playing in the major leagues, but the dream was considered all but impossible.
The reason? Jim was born with only one hand.
Still, every day he would practice throwing a rubber ball against against a brick wall, quickly shifting his glove to his hand to catch the rebound. In the process, he developed speed, strength, and accuracy. Soon, he was good enough to play Little League ball with his friends, in spite of his handicap. And then, good enough to stand out as a top level pitcher in high school. And good enough to lead the University of Michigan to two Big 10 championships, where he was also named the nation’s best amateur athlete.
Even good enough to be drafted by the California Angels in 1989.
A few years later, while playing for the Yankees, he experienced the highlight of his career: He pitched a no-hitter against the Indians during the ‘93 pennant race. In a post-game interview, he said…
“When the final out was made, a lot of things went through my mind. The only thing that I didn’t pay attention to was my handicap. It had nothing to do with anything.”
Today there may be so-called limitations in your life that you’ve let yourself believe are holding you back … but, ultimately, they have nothing to do with anything.
That’s because we serve a God whose power knows no limits, and whose grace can sustain us through whatever life brings our way. Even the circumstances that appear, on the surface, to be impossible — they have nothing to do with anything, because we serve a God whose power has everything to do with everything.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:2)
Blessed Is The Nation
7-8-2026
We just celebrated 250 years of freedom in the United States of America. I hope your celebration included family and friends and, of course, Jesus. But I want to address something that troubles me.
There are those who would say that it is inappropriate for a church, for a pastor, for a Christian to celebrate such a patriotic event. Without hesitation I say, “I stand for the flag, but I kneel at the cross.” And I am not embarrassed to celebrate the freedom we enjoy in the US.
To borrow from Josh Howerton:
I love my King of Kings more infinitely than any earthly ruler. And there is an Eternal Kingdom that has infinitely more allegiance from me than any earthly country.
In the Bible, God established 3 institutions for the good of the world:
– The Family
– The church
– The State (governments)
This means that a Christian man should seek to be…
– A family man
– A churchman
– A statesman
Last week, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and part of being a “statesman” is loving your country.
– A family never gets better unless the father LOVES his family.
– A church never gets better unless people LOVE their church
– A nation cannot get better unless people LOVE their nation
So, to be clear, I unapologetically love my country, and I thank God for the historically unique way Christianity played a role in the founding of our nation. I will continue to celebrate moving forward, not IN SPITE of the fact that I’m a Christian, but BECAUSE I’m a Christian, who is grateful to God for what He has done in the past and imploring Him to pour out his Spirit in our culture for the good of its future.
In the words of the song by Carman, “We need God in America again!”
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…… (Psalm 33:12a, NIV)
Build Good Habits
7-1-2026
I can’t say that what I’m about to share is overly spiritual (or is it?), but I’m pretty sure you’ll find it (at least some of it) helpful. I saw this on social media. There isn’t a lot there that’s helpful, but take a look at this and see what you think. It’s titled:
Habits I Picked Up from Adults Who Actually Have Their Life Together
1. They use calendars for everything. They don’t trust their memory with important dates, appointments, or deadlines.
2. They write things down immediately. If a thought, task, or idea isn’t captured right away, they assume it’ll disappear.
3. They make tasks smaller than necessary. Instead of “clean the house,” it’s “put away 5 items.”
4. They use timers constantly. Timers help them start, stay focused, and avoid falling into hyperfocus.
5. They keep important items visible. Out of sight often means out of mind, so they design their environment accordingly.
6. They build accountability into their lives. Systems, routines, clear goals, and deadlines help them stay consistent.
7. They stop trying to do everything mentally. Checklists, reminders, notes, and systems carry the load.
8. They plan for bad days. They create routines that work even when motivation disappears.
9. They focus on consistency, not perfection. Missing one day doesn’t become an excuse to quit.
10. They work with their brain, not against it. Instead of forcing themselves to function like everyone else, they build systems around how they naturally operate.
The most important one:
They read their Bible, pray, and have quiet time with the Lord EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Again, maybe this doesn’t sound “overly spiritual”, but you’ll find these principles sprinkled throughout the Bible……….just sayin’.
I love you all!!