What a great feeling to be content, but God can interrupt us.

Daniel 4:4-5 says,“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid.”

Those of us who have read this know the intriguing story of Nebuchadnezzar and what happens to his contentment. According to his own words (and how weird is it to think that Nebuchadnezzar wrote a piece of our Bible,) he losses his sanity after looking at his grand kingdom and admiring his own work and his own majesty. He ends up living in the fields and his hair grows wild and he eats grass like cattle. His sanity is restored only when he looks to heaven are recognizes God’s eternal dominion.

Proverbs 19:23 says it this way, “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” It is such a great feeling to be content. You can do that if you have a majestic kingdom or if you are living in a field. Contentment isn’t about having, it’s about attitude.

I just read this quote on my bulletin board in my office . . . “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” William Butler Yeats, Irish Poet.
I love this quote! As a parent, I naturally have taken the teacher role because God has gifted me to teach. I know I have sometimes annoyed my children being the “teacher” instead of the inspirer, giving instruction instead of instilling passion. An inspirer lights a fire within the heart TO learn. If I had to do parenting all over again, I would make my mission in parenting to set my kid’s hearts ablaze with wonder, excitement, and challenge to learn more, especially . . . . especially about their God. My prayer has always been that my children would hunger and thirst after righteousness. We are always hungry and thirsty aren’t we? That desire never ends. May it be so with our children, that they would hunger and thirst after God, and we would be their cheerleaders and teachers as they do. They will follow our lead. Ignite your child’s heart on fire this week and watch their pursuit for God consume them!

Wow! Great first night of Missions Emphasis. Mozambique, UCLA and El Salvador from three great young men. It was an awesome evening…and getting better!

The rule is, “Spend one hour in study for every minute you are at the pulpit.”

The first time I heard that I thought the guy was crazy. As I have grown, I realize that it is easy to spend 40 to 50 hours crafting a sermon. Every week, I have a sermon for Famous Jr High students and another for Famous High School students and often I am only able to put in 10 to 15 hours of prep per sermon and then I read that studies indicate we forget 95% of what we hear within three days!

So, what is unforgettable? Young people remember experiences and if it’s a big experience, they will remember it for the rest of their lives. I remember preparing a young girl named Mayra to preach a sermon. We were going to be in Mexico and I was supposed to preach but I would have needed a translator, she was fluent in Spanish. When it was time to preach, she looked out at four hundred plus people who had gathered and realized she was the main event and she was about to deliver the gospel in her native tongue. She wouldn’t forget that. The other students with me wouldn’t forget it either. They were with someone who would give up his spot and let students shine because he really believed in them.

I believe in teenagers. I believe in missions.

I believe the combo of teenagers in missions is unstoppable.

I pray that this week, that the Crossroads Missions conference stirs students beyond measure.

This is a week of Missions at Crossroads Church. Wednesday night we’ll have 3 really dynamic missionaries with us…sharing their visions and challenging us to lift up our eyes and see the needs of the world. They’ll be with us again on Sunday for a morning of excitement. You won’t want to miss a moment with Ron Bueno, Luke Rider and Eric Thomure.

The Classics are having a Saturday morning Brunch at 10 am. Our special guests will be Luke Rider from Mozambique, and Ron Bueno from El Salvador. We’ll eat, listen to some missionary stories, ask some questions and just hang out with great friends.

Recently our pastor made the following statement during one of his messages: “If you need more you are poor, no matter how much you have. If you have enough, you are rich, no matter how little you have.” I like that!

There are so many people in today’s world that think more money or more stuff is finally going to make them happy. Jesus didn’t have anything, yet He had everything. Driving to the airport early this morning I looked up at an incredibly beautiful full moon. A few hours later our pilot took us directly over the Grand Canyon and Charlotte and I marveled at the majesty of God’s creation. Priceless moments.

Bank accounts don’t make us rich. Recognizing God in everything we do and in everything we see enriches our hearts…and that makes us rich!
Is it wrong to want more, to want it all? You decide. All I know is that it is right to have enough. Giving God thanks for what we have reminds us that we are not poor and it elevates us to richness.

“The blessing of the Lord brings wealth…”   Proverbs 10:22 And so, let me make you rich!

God Bless You,
Jim Grams