The “Thanks” from the “Giving”

I get all charged up this time of year, you know, for the “Holidays” as we call them in our culture.  You have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, all within about 5 weeks of each other, all occasions when family and friends gather together to celebrate their beliefs and traditions.  As I pondered about Thanksgiving this week, I began to think about what the holiday symbolizes and how people choose to commemorate it.  Most of us take this time each year to give thanks for our family, friends, and what we have been blessed with, or possibly working in a shelter or food kitchen, wanting to share their time with those who are less fortunate.  And of course, many would say that Thanksgiving can’t go on without enjoying the football games.

As I thought about it, I began to ease into wonderment concerning why we spend so much of our time during this holiday giving thanks.  Naturally, I believe we should be grateful for all that we have been given, but maybe there is another perspective that we can view this holiday from.  Possibly, some of our thoughts about this entire holiday tradition should not be about ourselves and how grateful we are, but increasingly ab0ut living our lives so that others will exercise a bestowing of thanks for what they have received from us and the way we share and sacrifice for one another not just on a holiday, but every day.

Maybe we can make this holiday not just a once a year celebration for what we are grateful for, but rather a time when we participate in recognizing how we need to be engaged in serving one another each day and all year long.  In a society that shows itself to care mostly about personal gratification and the fulfillment of our own wants and desires, I believe that we should assemble to share in each others lives in a way that we become more involved giving to others before we visualize and take a grasp of our own considerations.

As we view history, do we look up to our heroes for greatness in what they have done for themselves, or for how the distinction of their heroism merits applause due to it’s effect on someone other than themselves or society as a whole?  I am guessing if I took a poll, the populous would convey they admire their heroes for what they have done for others, for society, or for the sacrifice they may have made to be recognized as a hero, not by what they have achieved for themselves.  As a culture, we need to change our outlook on life, we should not be continuously burdened with our own wants, desires, and needs, instead seeking to be a hero for those around us by giving and sacrificing of our own time, treasure, and talents.  If we do more of this in our everyday lives, 365 days a year, then maybe, just maybe, we will find people expressing “Thanks” from the “Giving”.

Those on the receiving end of the adjustment in lifestyle from self to one that presents an outward expression of caring will in turn render thanks from our giving. When we sacrifice and give of ourselves, this gives us an opportunity to be grateful and thankful, because we will have a greater sense of accomplishment and distinct appreciativeness from our giving.  Our thankfulness will come from giving not receiving.  Think about how a reciprocal action like this could benefit everyone and how we could have a greater cooperation among people.  I realize I am being idealistic, but I truly feel compassion for others and desire to see change in our society; a change that promotes community not individualism.

If we were to participate in a quest to give of ourselves, our time, our treasure and our talents in our daily walk on this marvelous God created earth that we live on, putting the needs of the many before our own, then quite possibly we may begin to see a change worldwide for the good of all.  But wait, we have already experienced this in action; this type of life was lived out in the person of Jesus Christ.  Yes, Jesus was the ideal example of living a life that emulates perfection and how we should love and care for others, unconditionally and sacrificially.

In Mark 12:28 (ESV), the Bible says, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus then answered in Mark 12:30-31, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Loving your neighbor as yourself, well that does not always come easy, but we need to recognize that if the God of the universe establishes the criteria for us to live by, then we should follow His instructions.  It sounds easy, but takes work and a sincere appetite of caring and a passion for people.  This has to come from the heart, from our inner being, since fulfilling this commandment takes us away from our own fleshly requirements and urgencies.  But, if we seek a personal interest in the well being of others, giving of ourselves first, then we will become the recipients of the thanks from the giving!

Jesus took on the most significant sacrifice for others, He came to earth as a man, suffered and died while being nailed to a cross, absorbing the responsibility for all the sins of those who ask and receive His path of forgiveness.  Through His unconditional sacrifice for all of us, He showed how we should live our lives, caring and loving one another, as He commanded us in John 15:12.  Then verse 13 further explains to what level we should care for others when He states, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  There is not greater reward we can receive then the gratitude from someone we have benefitted through our generosity.  If God can come to this world, suffer as He did, in order that you and I can live eternally in heaven with that same creator, then we certainly can pay it forward to those in whom we come in contact with.  We can seek others needs before our own, as Jesus did for us.

Many people around the world give thanks to Jesus for giving of Himself for their sins and are grateful for the eternal opportunity they now have to be with the creator, in turn rendering thanks from His giving. I must believe that the joy Jesus receives each and every time someone knocks on His door, whereby receiving eternal salvation from His grace, certainly outweighs the sacrifice He made for our atonement.  He has joy in His sacrifice for us!  We all can receive similar joy from our sacrifices for those in our lives that we can love as ourselves.  I say take the plunge, put others before yourself, giving and sacrificing for those around you, then be prepared to receive the bounty of blessing you will receive from those same people when you are granted the “Thanks” for the “Giving”!

This is my Happy Thanksgiving proclamation to you all.  So, go out, spread your caring, concern and love to others in the world and receive the “Thanks for the “Giving”. Amen

May you all be eternally blessed,

Daryl Dho

YES, YOU CAN HAVE Your Cake and EAT IT TOO!

I think Bonnie is trying to smash the cake into my face.

I take pleasure in allowing my taste buds to be massaged by a delicious piece of cake, especially chocolate with whipped butter frosting. As my wife and I prepare to celebrate our 24 wedding anniversary next month, I am excited and energized about the prospect of having a piece of scrumptious cake as we celebrate our union together.  I know that may seem a little silly, making a big deal out of having a piece of cake, but our society says that we can’t have our cake and eat it too.  I got to tell you that this is not true, because I am convinced that in life YOU CAN HAVE Your Cake and EAT IT TOO!

When we got married almost 24 years ago, it was during the Christmas season, and we had a beautifully decorated medium size wedding that was attended by family and friends.  We were blessed with catered food that I suppose was fantastic. although I would not know since I only gazed at and smelled the aroma of the wonderful display, not able to eat any due to all of the attendees wanting to congratulate us prior to being escorted away in a limousine for our honeymoon. Our wedding included this incredible cake too, complete with multiple levels and a top all of its own that nobody ate from; you know, the type with the plastic bride and groom on top.

We fed a small amount of the cake to each other, believe it or not without smashing it into our faces, then saved the top level for a future anniversary, at which time we would eat the rest of our cake. We had a predicament though, we never wanted to really eat the cake because we didn’t want to see our wedding day memory disappear. So, we kept it in the freezer thinking that maybe we could have our cake and eat it too. The problem with this plan is most people would say that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. But we saved the cake for almost 24 years now, that is until today.  You see, we noticed that our freezer shrunk and we now needed the room. No, we didn’t eat it, can you imagine eating a 24 year old cake?  What we did was, believe it or not, throw it in the trash!  Yes, all those memories, now gone!  Bummer.

At first, I really did not want to throw it in the trash, as it felt like I was throwing a part of my life away. As we took pictures of ourselves gazing at the cake, memories of those blissful 24 years of our life and the day we got married passed through my head. At this point I said to my wife that although the cake would fade away, my love for her would last forever. I know that may be a little mushy, non unlike the frosting on the cake, but its the truth, and we both realize how fortunate we are. Although we would not be able to look at our broken down box filled with stale, freezer burned cake anymore, the marriage that we have built over a lifetime extends itself due to a loving and caring relationship. We realize that as material things in our life disappear and dissipate with time, our love is eternal. You see I believe that YOU CAN HAVE Your Cake and EAT IT TOO!

A great many people believe that our time on earth is all there is to life, that when we die there is nothing else.  But who we are, humans made in the image of God, does not cease to exist at the end of this physical life.  God created us so that we could be with Him forever, but unfortunately, as sinners, we are unable to coexist with a Holy God.  We need to be redeemed in order to be with God, who is perfect in His being and love for us.  After all, while we were still sinners, God sent His only begotten son to save us from ourselves (Rom 5:8), from our sin, from our unrighteousness.

If you look at this life as a piece of cake, thinking that the cake is finite and will someday disappear, then you will have the view that you can’t have your cake and eat it too.  You will think this way because you believe that when the day comes for you to die, that so will all of your existence.  But, on the other hand, if you understand and believe that God created us in His image (Gen 1:26) for the purpose of giving all the glory to Him in everything we do (1 Cor 10:31), then you should take comfort in knowing that you can have your cake and eat it too.

God desires for us to be with Him eternally, so that we can glorify His name in paradise.  But we are sinners by nature, imperfect and unworthy of being in His presence, due to our polluting of the image that God made as in.  Being born into sin since the fall of Adam, we are like a piece of cake that has gotten freezer burned and disintegrates.  But you ask how can we have our cake and eat it too, how can we, as sinners, exist with a Holy God forever?  It’s not too difficult to obtain this eternal existence with God, since He does not want us to suffer the anguish and torment of being eternally separated from him, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:41-42).  God wants us to have a relationship with Him whereby we can seek out forgiveness and salvation by His grace and through our faith (Eph 2:8).

The beauty of God’s plan is how we can be sinners by nature and at some point conforming to the world, yet through our acceptance of Jesus as Lord and savior be transformed by the renewing of our minds, discerning what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).  This my friends, is how WE CAN HAVE Our Cake and EAT IT TOO! You see, although we are unworthy to be in the presence of God due to our sinful and unrighteous nature and behavior, we are loved by God in a way that He provides a way out, a way to His kingdom, a way to change who we are.  Romans 8:10 (ESV) tells us, “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”  Although we are dead in our sins, we are redeemed into righteousness because of Christ.  This is the parallel between the cake and our lives.  We still can live eternally with God, through our acceptance by faith of Christ as our savior, even though we are still sinners.  This is where YOU CAN HAVE Your Cake and EAT IT TOO! You can be unworthy, yet worthy of eternity with God, you can have it both ways.

All you need is the right recipe, and that recipe is Jesus Christ, who came into the world to show us how to love one another and for the redemption of sins. YES, YOU CAN HAVE Your Cake and EAT IT TOO! Just grab a piece of the cake of salvation from Jesus, and enjoy it for eternity.

May you all be blessed in life with the eternal cake of salvation.  Go ahead, grab a slice, you will LOVE IT.

Daryl Dho

Never Give Up, and Quitting Is Not An Option!

I was watching part of the Phoenix Suns game tonight, while taking a break from reading and doing homework, when the announcers talked about how Wayman Tisdale had died earlier this year. I remembered when Wayman played for the Suns just a few short years ago, so I decided to google him to find out how he died, as I had not heard the news. I discovered that he died from cancer, as I read some articles and watched some videos. There was a 9 minute video that particularly intrigued me about how he had first ascertained that he had the disease after a fall he took in his house, breaking his leg, followed by his ensuing recovery. While I watched the video, I was overtaken by how strong he seemed, and how his smile never eluded his persona. Remembering when he played, I recollected how he always engaged in the game with such a zest for life, including his abilities as an award winning jazz musician, which I remember he included in his bio. Near the end of the video, as Wayman described how he was persevering during adversity (he had to have his right leg amputated), he said something that I will take with me, “Never give up, and quitting is not an option”.

That phrase really struck me, because how many of us give up on so many things in life? Big-small, tangible-intangible, work-play, friends-foes, husband-wife, parents-children, healthy-unhealthy, all of these contrasts here are events, people or seasons in our lives that we must confront at one time or another. Because life is full of questions about the unknown, we have to make a determination about how we will deal with each and every event, whether to accept our circumstances as they are, make an effort to change them, or dwell on how the situation we are in is not the way it should be. Which way we choose to decide will usually determine our level of peace and happiness in the situation. Wayman chose option 2, and made his best effort to persevere when things got tough, all the while smiling, because you see, he believed that we should “Never give up, and quitting is not an option”.

Each and every one of us has predicaments that come up in our lives that we would rather not go through, up and including when we die, but the facts are that we will all have trouble in our lives. From what I read and viewed, Wayman was a faithful man of God, which I believe is one reason he was so positive during his adversity. He obviously struggled as a man, but knew that giving up would not help him or his families situation. He was dealing with it head on! As I contemplate about this occurrence in the life of Wayman Tisdale, I am reminded of another man named Jesus, who had to endure great suffering. I can only imagine what would have happened if Jesus would have decided not to go through with what God the Father willed Him to do. After all, Jesus is God, he could have done a great many things to prevent Himself from being brutally battered, whipped, and nailed to the cross that He carried up the hill, all bloodied and weakened from the torture that was brought upon Him during His mock trial. As Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, He knew what time it was, and that these terrible occurrences were inevitably going to happen. But, during His darkest hour, I believe that He had to be thinking something similar to what Wayman said in his video, Jesus must have realized that He could “Never give up, and quitting is not an option.”

Wayman loved his wife and 4 children, caring for them until the end. Jesus, God in the flesh, loved all of us on that fateful day 2000 years ago, caring for us until His final hour, enduring all of the pain and suffering, while preparing to encounter the weight of all the sins that He would bear upon His death. But, even in His darkest hour he cared for others, as He told one of the thieves hanging next to him in Luke 23:43 (ESV), “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” God doesn’t give up on us, He loves us for eternity, and took on the ultimate penalty of death on the cross for all of us. As we come to know Jesus through our acceptance of His forgiveness by grace, we should be reminded of what He said in John 14:26-27, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. The Holy Spirit, God in spirit, is here to help us through our troubled times, we just need to reach out to Him. We are not alone, and we need to remember that Jesus served as an example; for He “Never gave up, and quitting is not an option.”

Jesus never quit on us, He never gave up on the responsibility that God the Father gave Him. After all, before the beginning of time, He was our redeemer. Upon His death, while receiving the penalty for our sins, temporarily separating Himself from the Father, He felt the pain of the millions of sins upon Him, yet never waned in His loving, caring, sacrificial attitude. When the time came to conclude His life as a man on this earth, while fulfilling the scriptures, He said in John 19:30, ““It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. We are blessed that Jesus believed in this philosophy, “Never give up, and quitting is not an option.” For that we can all be eternally grateful.

If you want to view the video of Wayman’s story, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ4DaBVn4Uk

May you all have a blessed day,

Daryl Dho

A Prayer To God

God,
You created all things in a majestic way for us to marvel at, giving us a tiny glimpse of your magnificence and grandeur, as well as your character and presence of being. We are the crowning point of your created beings on earth, as you have given us authority over all other living creatures. We are to manage and subdue the earth we call home, which gives you pleasure. Your desire is that we are continuously in pursuit to closer communicate with and worship you. In doing so, you have given us authority over what is an unbelievably breathtaking and at times an incomprehensible creation. Yet in the beginning we failed as Adam fell to sin, perverting what was a perfect environment for our living in your presence. We were forever banished from paradise on earth.

As I scan across the canvass of your universe, gazing into the heavens that go beyond my imaginable vision and understanding, I fall to my knees humbly seeking your approval for my existence. I truly desire to gain a comfort in my relationship with you, seeking only to daily discover and comprehend the breadth and complexity of who you are in all your glory. Comprehending that I am a failed human, I bow down to your presence, asking for forgiveness for all of my failures.

In all that I do, I endeavor to be more like my one true holy mentor, Jesus. As he is the perfect example of righteousness and truth, wandering through my days, my desire is that each day I can get closer to living more like Him. I fail consistently as a man, feeling shame for things I think, say and do in this wonderful world you created from nothing. Colossians 1:15-17 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” As I contemplate about what your Word says in those verses, I am uplifted and somewhat overwhelmed by the plan you set in motion before time began.

That you saw fit to give all of us a way of redemption through the sacrifice of your only Son, the one who by His words creation came about, gives me passion to commit all that I am in my day to you. Although I am weak and fail in comparison to your awesome power, I continuously strive to be more like the image of Jesus, whom you had demonstrate how we should love and live our lives for you and your kingdom when He came into this physical world. I praise you for saving me from myself, a corrupt man, whose propensity is to fail in my quest to give you glory in all that I do. I know that I am forgiven for my failures, and I give you all the thanks, having gratitude for your grace.

Use me, oh God, as an instrument for your glory. Guide me in my days, in order that through my thoughts and actions, your kingdom will grow. Assist me in gaining more knowledge of your word, using me to spread the good news of your gospel. Keep me from the deception of the evil one, who lurks in every seam of life, waiting for the opportunity to drive a wedge between your good and his evil. Safeguard me, not allowing me to fail in my quest to be an acceptable symbol of the love of Christ to this world, ensuring that I am evidence of the hope that I have in you.  I treasure that you have chosen me to join you in your kingdom when I pass on from this world. For that, I thank you, asking for forgiveness in all that I fail as your servant. Finally, please use me as a vessel of hope and love to a world that so desperately needs you. Enable me to comprehend your word, so that I may continue to share with others the goodness of your saving grace. Amen

May the peace of God be with you all,

Daryl Dho

What Would You Compromise Your Principles For?

Here is the situation, someone comes up to you and asks, would you steal a pack of gum for a million dollars? I will give you a moment to think about that. Well, would you do it, would you steal the pack of gum for a million dollars? I am guessing that many people would steal the pack of gum for a million dollars, thinking that it is only a $1.39 pack of gum, who cares. But is it really just a pack of gum, or are we talking about something greater than that. Are we talking about your integrity, or your moral view on things? That is really the challenge and debate, isn’t it? It seems like an easy enough question. I want to believe that there would be more people who would say no rather than those who would say yes to this dilemma, but would people really say no? So, you have to ask yourself the question, what would you compromise your principles for?

The real answer is that stealing is stealing, it doesn’t matter if it is $1.39 or a billion dollars, if you take something that is not yours, then you are stealing. If you turn the scenario around, and it was your merchandise on the shelf for people to buy, you would not want anyone to steal it, regardless of how much it is. Worse yet for the person who takes the gum, is the thought that they will always know, in their heart, that they stole something from you. Who cares if someone is going to give you a million dollars, or even a billion dollars to steal that pack of gum, for if you do, then you will know in your heart that you are guilty of stealing. Now you would be a thief, each and every day you would know and remember that circumstance in your life. As you think about that, ask yourself again, what would you compromise your principles for?

The world view of this would tell you to go ahead and steal the gum, because you are going to receive a million dollars in return for your act, plus it is only $1.39, so no big deal! What if you were told that you had to steal $1000 worth of merchandise, would you do it then? The costs of doing the crime just went up, or did it really? Regardless of the cost, stealing is stealing, and taking what is not yours is a crime both from a societal standpoint, and a sin in the eyes of God. Yes, the biblical view of this situation would tell you not to do it, “Thou shall not steal”; remember from the Ten Commandments? Yes, Exodus 20:15 is very clear, “You shall not steal.” But nowhere in that text does it mention anything about a minimum requirement for this type of act to literally be considered stealing. Therefore, since stealing is stealing, and you have to ask yourself the question again, what would you compromise your principles for?

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge what Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 (ESV), “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Many times, we try to rationalize our deeds in a way as to think that we are not guilty of a crime, or a sin, because it may seem small to us like looking at someone with lustful intent, which according to God’s word is a sin regardless if we act on it or not. In the eyes of God, sin is sin, He doesn’t care how big it is, the facts remain, sin is sin. With the question of the pack of gum, this seems plain to me, we are guilty of the sin; plus the minimal dollar amount does not negate the fact that we stole. I don’t believe we can justify our wrongs. When we do something that is wrong, regardless of how big or small it might appear to us, it still is wrong and a sin in God’s eyes. When we sin, we are rebelling against what God wants us to do and separates us in our relationship with Him. We shouldn’t compromise our beliefs and principles for money.

The bible tells us in Hebrew 13:5, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is some clear counsel here on the subject that we have been talking about. If someone would fall into the trap of taking something that is not theirs for money, then they are guilty of the sin of stealing, of course, but they are also giving up a faith in the Lord’s provision. Understandably, we use money to purchase goods and services in our society. But, God blesses us with our provision, and we should not, according to Hebrews 13:5, care so much about money that it rules our life. We should not be concerned with money so much that it distracts us from having faith in the one who provides it for us in the first place, God. Putting our faith in God, knowing that he will provide for all of our needs, regardless of what we believe is enough or what we might require for life.

Think about this; you decide to take the million dollars after stealing the pack of gum. Then, God decides that it is time for you to die. Fortunately, you believe in Jesus, trusting Him for redemption, and because you are saved by the grace of God, you go to heaven. When you are entering into heaven, are you bringing the million dollars to help build more streets of gold? Guess what, the answer is no, God doesn’t need that money, plus you will have to answer to God about why you stole the pack of gum for a million dollars. He may even ask you why you decided to compromise your beliefs and principles for money, money that He would have provided for you if you would have been faithful. That’s right, we can’t take it with us, and God gives us enough to take care of our needs while we are here. We just have to be faithful and trust Him each and every day.

Let us focus on what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” If we concentrate on these words and the rest of God’s word, then it is easy to make a decision about the gum, for we do not want to purposefully sin against our God. Considering that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), we certainly do not need to knowingly and intentionally sin against others or our God. Live the life worth living, with a biblical view, treating every moment as a glimpse of how God would want us to be, for we are made in His image (Genesis 1:26). Amen

Have a blessed day,

Daryl Dho

Waste Not, Want Not

As we wake up every day, we should consider whether or not we are fully utilizing all that we have been blessed with in our lives. If we don’t, we may end up lacking what seems to be essential to us later on. Our culture conveys the impression that we tend to desire more than we require to sustain ourselves. I believe that most of us already know this to be true and would agree with my perception. We live in a society where we “throw away and dispose” of almost everything because we would rather buy new than use what is still left in our cupboard. Regardless of what aspect or material of our life we are discussing, we tend to not use all of it’s resources. The leftovers that we accumulate in our lives at some point become discarded, due to our lack of interest in them, desire for new, or because we are compelled to procure something fresh and pristine. My Dad use to say many old expressions that many of you may have heard; one of them that has always stuck with me is, “waste not, want not”!

Reflecting on my life as a child growing up in Southern California and Colorado, I believe that we did not waste much around the house, for the influence of that phrase “waste not, want not” resonated throughout our household. Maybe those were just simpler times with most people content with what they had, not all hung up on needing to obtain the next best thing as soon as it is available. I tend to believe some of this approach was due to our parents growing up earlier in the last century, before all of the technology, media blitz, and the like being so prevalent in our lives. So, maybe this conservative avenue which was more apparent in the past, considering a higher value on saving rather than spending, was just a part of our culture in those days.

But what about how we use our time. If we consider time as a commodity, then time would be another area that we should look at as something we waste a lot of. What “value” do we put on our time? There are 168 hours in a week, no more, no less. What we do with those 168 hours shows others what we put our “value” in. As we break the 168 hours down by the day, we have 24 hours to do complete all that we want to do, including eating, sleeping, working, learning, playing, etc. Whatever we do during those 1,440 minutes a day reflects upon where we put our “value” and our concerns. So, it seems to me that we need to take a look at our usage of time, because as the old saying goes, “waste not, want not.”

So, how do you spend your 10,080 minutes a week? Do you take advantage of most of those minutes wisely, or are many of them expended foolishly? Have you ever seriously given thought to how you use them? Let’s face it, we have many distractions in the wake of our day to take us away from what we may desire or wish to accomplish. Certainly, if we evaluate where all of the minutes go, I believe that most of us would have to agree that we probably waste a lot more of our precious minutes each day than we would like to.

One thing for sure, we probably do not educate or stimulate ourselves with enough learning, both from a practical and spiritual point of focus. God petitions us to take the time to spend with him both in a communicative state such as prayer and meditation, as well as reading His Word, The Bible. The Bible tells us in Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV) the following:

“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”

We are instructed to spend the time reading, meditating, and delighting in God’s Word both day and night. If we misuse much of our time that is available to us, stating that we do not have enough time to spend with God and in His Word, then we may be guilty of falling into the trap of making excuses for our use of time, therefore needing to be reminded of the expression, “waste not, want not.” What are we doing with the 86,400 seconds each day that God gives us to use? 1 Corinthians 10:31 states, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” If we are to do all things for the Glory of God as the scriptures say, then we need to be honest with ourselves in our evaluation of what we put “value” in and how we spend each second of our days. I am sure that most of us would admit that we probably could use our time more wisely. Certainly, we can afford a good portion of our 1,440 minutes per day to spend with God and His Word. As each moment of every day is a gift, we should apportion this gift of time with discernment, in order to get closer to our God, while understanding more of what He desires for us in our lives.

In our relationship with the creator, we can ascertain more about how to live in this life through an understanding and application of the principles inspired by God and written by men in the Bible. But, if we choose to make excuses why we cannot find the time to spend with God, then we will be left with a lack of understanding of His word. So, the choice is there for each and every one of us. Each 24 hour, 1,440 minute, and 86,400 second day is there for us to use as we please. My prayer for all of us is that we begin to use our time more carefully, in order to ensure that we are spending an adequate amount of time with the Lord, in His word and in meditation with Him. If we do, we are sure to incorporate a closer relationship with our creator and God, as He desires us to do. Remember, “waste not, want not” applies to the time we have available to us in our day. With that in mind, let us not misapply our priceless time, in order that we can fulfill God’s desire for us to do all things for His glory. Amen

Have a blessed and wonderful day,

Daryl Dho

Sharing About God, Who’s Spirit Dwells In Me, With Others

Jesus telling the disciples in John 15:12 to “Love One Another” is a driving force for me to wake up each and every day, venturing out into the world as His servant. It is due to the ability that God has given me to have compassion for others, attempting to put them before myself, that I feel the urging of Him to aid me in my quest to satisfy His calling of caring for those who are in my wake of life. As I ponder this, I understand that sharing about God, who’s Spirit dwells in me, with others is what all of us should try do in our lives. Look for the opportunities that God gives you!

God has blessed me with experiences in ministry that have engaged me in almost every aspect of church life over the last few years. Digging deep into the wonderful world of God’s word with people who, in the beginning, could be called acquaintances and over time develop into a family, is very satisfying. As I am one who enjoys being around people, no matter what the situation, I can always find an opportunity to interconnect with them. So, regardless of the place of activity, I am best suited when I am able to have a conversation with those around me. If you don’t know me or the Lord, listen, this message is for everyone.

Knowing of the need to share about God with people, God has given me a passion for studying His word. Included in this study is the desire to share with those whom God puts in my path. It is part of all my waking moments, this hope to be able to have a conversation about the goodness of our God, the love from our God, and the care and concern that He has for every one of us. So much so, that almost all of my free time is used to develop that head knowledge about His word, in order that I may be able to give an answer for the hope that is within me. Going beyond what my natural abilities may be, I entrust God to gift me as He sees fit, as only He knows how I may best serve His kingdom.

I repeatedly see God’s hand at work in my life. He guides and directs me in such as way that He has put me in situations where, although I may have questioned in the beginning, finally realize that He is the master who knows what is best. It is part of my being that I have concern for others, compassion for their needs, as I am gifted with the ability to listen, showing love for one another as Jesus commanded.

God continues to orchestrate opportunities in my life to minster to peoples needs. As a Store Manager for CVS, I am able to talk to patients, care for them when a concern is expressed, and be a beacon of hope at times for those who enter into my path. As I contemplate on and discuss this, I realize how much God is in control of things, how He makes sure that we utilize our gifts while we are in certain circumstances and seasons in our lives. It is no surprise I work where I do, as He guides and directs me to share His love with many people that I come in contact with, from my employees to customers. This is a natural ministry that goes beyond the walls and halls of the local church that I am embodied with.

Giving back wherever possible, and in any way, both physical and spiritual, is key. I attempt to be the type of steward in God’s kingdom where I can be of most use. As I reflect more on recent opportunities to serve Him, I am certainly connected with children of every age group. As they are the future of the Kingdom, I feel it is essential for us to train them in the ways of Christ’s righteousness. So many homes are broken, awaiting the right glue to put their lives together. Peer pressure, lack of parental concern for their well being, and living in a society that puts an enormous burden on them to perform, makes working with youth such an important position in the Kingdom.

As I was not even introduced to the Gospel of Christ until I was 20 years old, I feel fortunate and blessed, holding a great amount of gratitude for my salvation that came at age 35. It is for this reason that I believe we should not neglect the youth in our community, we must draw them in towards the goodness of the Gospel. Regardless of which side of the street they live on or come from, all deserve and need to here the Gospel. If not for a few along the way during my 20’s and 30’s, at a time when I was on a path of depravity and destruction, I would not have come to know Jesus. What a shame that would have been, for now I long to serve Him at every moment. Someone knew it was important to share about God, who’s Spirit dwelled in them, with others; we shall all be reminded of this and continue the same. If you do not know Jesus, then continue to listen, He is knocking at your door now.

Coming from an alcoholic and drug addicted background, I feel charged to make sure that we do not neglect anyone, including the young, do not shun those who are in addiction, do not black ball those who may not think the way we do, for it is by grace we are saved. Ephesians 2:4-5 says the following, “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” We need to show the character of God, the loving compassionate character that Jesus showed to a world so desperately needing it. The people wait, we just need to be Jesus to the world, loving one another as he demonstrated and commanded us to do. People of the world are seeking hope, seeking something they can put their hands on, seeking a presence that they can absolutely know is real; one which can provide them with the fulfilling of their desire to be authentically, unconditionally loved. If you do not know Jesus, now is the time to seek and come to know Him.

My ministry passion is that all people have the same favorable circumstance that I did, finding Christ. We can leave none behind; we must go out and share the Gospel with all walks of life. Remembering that sharing about God, who’s Spirit dwells in us, with others is something that Jesus commanded us to do in Matthew 28:18-20, which says, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Here I am, sharing with all who come to this place; please, if you do not know Jesus, go to Him now. Pray for Him to guide your life, forgiving of the sins you bare. Amen.

May you all be blessed by His Spirit,

Daryl Dho

The Nest Is Beginning To Empty Out

Wow, my oldest child who is now a man, is moving out on his own for the first time. He worked at Hume Lake Christian Camp for 15 months after high school, but it wasn’t like he was out on his own, making all of his decisions. At that time, they gave him room and board, electricity, water, it was an awesome experience for him, but now is really the time where he will handling the whole situation of his life. He hasn’t even completely got all of his stuff out of our house, and he is already saying that he will have to watch how much money he spends, and where he spends it. He is feeling this way and saying these things so that he does not run out of money, which would create a situation where he would not be able to eat. Yes, our home, our little nest is beginning to empty out.

Some day all 3 of our kids will be out of the house and we will have a complete empty nest. But, for now we still have our 2 girls at home, the older one in college, and the younger in high school. I love my kids, and I enjoy being around them, but I also take pleasure in observing them grow up, desiring to be independent, and preparing to venture into the craziness of the world today. It is exciting to watch them talk about, make decisions on, and assert themselves as adults. First of all, it is part of life for them to be passionate about the need to explore new frontiers, and take a chance at handling what life has to offer. So, I am pumped up for my son, yet a little part of me is sad that the nest is beginning to empty out.

God wants us to do this, we are expected to move on past our childhood, away from the parents who guided, directed, and took care of our every need for the first 20 years of so of our lives. We should be training up our children in righteousness and the ways of God. Proverb 22:6 Says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Our goal is that we have brought up our children in a way that will be pleasing to the Lord. Our prayer is that they can go into the world full knowing that what they learned along the way in life will be proper giving them the ability to provide for themselves, and making accurate decisions. As our nest is beginning to empty out, I trust God and what I have taught my son, so that I can and will be able to sleep at night, knowing he is prepared for the path that God wants him to be on, and all within His will.

So, as my son goes out into the world, I have to trust that I have trained him in the ways of the Lord, having assurance that he will seek God and his righteousness in all things. My hope is that he will enjoy his life, live for the Lord, be patient with all that is in front of him, enduring all of life’s trials, if only because he has God on his side. I pray that he follows God’s word, each and every day of his life, and that he listens to what is said in 2 Timothy 2:22-23, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” If he remains in prayer, His will, and in God’s word, my son will have the type of life worth living.

My son knows the Lord, and my desire is that he seeks Him out for all of life’s questions. God’s word is full of excitement, knowledge, and worthy of trusting for understanding during life’s challenging moments. God’s word if there for us to read, enjoy, contemplate on, while allowing God to work in our lives for His purposes. This is what my hope is for with my son, that he seek first God, then all else will fall into place. While our nest here at home is beginning to empty out, I know that God will protect my son as he ventures into the world. As he moves on into the next season of life, I pray that he follows what the Bible says in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” If he seeks first his relationship with Jesus, his savior, in all occasions trusting Him, then I know that my son will have the type of life that I have trained him for, a life full of joy, contentment, and one that has purpose.

May you all be blessed from our God,

Daryl Dho

When Going Into Enemy Territory, Victory Is Sweet

I have gone to a lot of high school football games, but never before had I gone to a game in the opponents home field. Yesterday, was an interesting day, as many people were remembering the 9-11-01 tragedy; even after 8 years, the memories are still vivid. As I watched throughout the day, the two teams were preparing for an epic battle. In the morning, a local television channel did multiple reports from both schools, sharing how they were preparing for the ensuing clash between the two teams. The cheerleaders, bands, and spectators were pumped up for the game.

There is something special about high school football, it packs a lot of excitement along with it’s smallness in nature, for it is not the NFL or the NCAA. People know each other at the games, the students are wild and crazy, supporting their team. But, even during those moments of conflict, everyone took the time to remember the 9-11 victims, which was good. As for our team, the one coming across town for battle, well, we were ready because when going into enemy territory, victory is sweet, and our guys were not going down in defeat.

The battle was fought, and in the end, our team came out victorious, yelling and screaming with joy, as the home team had to lower their heads in defeat. It was a brutal battle until the end, but one team has to come out on top, that is just the way it is, some win, some lose, we all just like being on the winning team. No one really likes to go down in defeat in anything in their life, let alone a sporting event. But sports seem to bring us all into the battle, almost as if we are part of the team. The cheerleaders are yelling for us to cheer with them more vigorously, all for the cause of victory, which when savored at an opponents home field, may seem far greater than one at home. Yes, when going into enemy territory, victory is sweet!

As I recount the victory last night, it makes me reflect on a victory that we should be thinking about more often in our lives, a victory in an eternal battle against good and evil, against right and wrong, a battle won for the freedom of mankind from sin. Yes, that epic battle took place 2000 years ago, and was won by God, in His human form known as Jesus Christ. Jesus was persecuted, beaten, and hung on a cross for being God, for telling the truth, for sharing love to all who walked the earth. Matthew 27:50-51 (ESV) tells us the story of how when Jesus died the foundation of the earth shook, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” When this happen, in verse 54, we find the following, “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Even the guards were taken back with the realization that Jesus was who He said He was. He was in enemy territory, and victory would be sweet.

But how does someone get victory in death? Jesus assumed the role of victor when He rose from the dead 3 days later, overcoming the what normal man can not, for He is God. In Matthew 28:5-7, we read how Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb where Jesus was buried to discover the following, “But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.” Jesus can not be held back from victory, when He died He took on the weight of all our sins, past, present, and future, in order that we may have an eternal place with Him in heaven. What a glorious thought, Jesus taking on the enemy of death, overcoming it to rise again for all mankind to have hope for an eternal future of safety with the creator. Praise the Lord.

Jesus went into enemy territory, just as God the Father had instructed, spread the good news of the way to salvation, by grace through Jesus, taking on all who would oppose Him. But He would not be overtaken in the battle of sin, regardless of who tried to tempt Him, for He is God. How blessed we are when we can ponder about how Jesus was willing to go into the enemies territory, unarmed, take the punishment, but in the end come out on top; yes, when going into enemy territory, victory is sweet!

How glorious it is to thank Jesus for His sacrifice by humbly coming to Him, asking for forgiveness of sin, seeking redemption through His blood, and the life full of hope for the eternal joy we will experience in heaven with our God. I ask now that if you do not know Jesus, it’s time to have a victory over all that may trouble you, your sin need not be a burden anymore. Seek Jesus out now, for victory is at hand. We are in enemy territory, satin is tempting us to sin all the time, but through Jesus we can gain victory, and a new life. Be no more struck down by the bondage of sin, seek redemption now, and remember, when going into enemy territory, victory is sweet. Jesus is our road to victory.

Have a blessed day,

Daryl

Children, The Gift That Everyone Likes To Share.

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3 NAS) Last night I had the privilege to hang out with some friends who have been blessed with two little children, one less than a year old, and the other 3 years old. Of course my wife and I were equally blessed by their presence just because we were fortunate enough to have the time to spend with their beautiful children. We were able to watch them play in their food, attempt to eat suck food through a straw, smear it all over their face, (at least the infant did), and listen to the amazingly intelligent ramblings of a 3 year old. I had a blast, and it brought back fond memories for me of when my 3 children were little, having the ability to do all the goofy things that these 2 were doing last night. I believe that children, as Psalm 127 says, are a gift, and that wonderfully precious gift that God has given to those He has blessed are a gift that everyone likes to share.

It is simple really, everywhere you go, if you see a little baby, people get all mushy over them. They come up to the baby, and talk funny, sometimes like a baby themselves, laugh, cry, smile, and generally have a better day at that moment because they are in the presence of a baby. Most parents love to brag about their children’s accomplishments, telling everyone at work, school, or anywhere else that someone will listen. We love our kids and we want to share them with others. Our children are the best gift that we have even been given, and we want to tell the world about them. Yes, children are a gift that everyone likes to share.

But not all want to share their gift with others, some do not even take care of their gift, they neglect their gift. This makes me sad to think about, how someone would not want to take care of their children properly, but there are people who do not care for or properly tend to their children, often neglecting or abusing them. I think about why someone would want to neglect their child, and it drives me crazy. As I was watching my friends kids last night, I could see the joy in the faces of my friends, the delight that comes from being a parent, it comes from loving, caring and being responsible for others. We receive more gratification from giving than from receiving. You see, their is an emptiness from only receiving! I believe that is why Jesus told us many times in the Gospels to love one another, and to love our neighbors. We need to share love for others always, giving of ourselves as Jesus did, and as we would for a child. The more we do this, caring, giving, loving one another on a daily basis, talking to God in prayer, the closer we get in our relationship with Him. As children of God, we were once gifts to the world, not tenders of the gifts, so we need to continue to develop our relationship with Him who gifted us in the first place. As we share our love for children and others, our relationships grow stronger amongst each, and with God. This is good. All this comes from children, the gift that everyone likes to share.

There is something about when a child is around that makes everyone seem to change the way they act. They seem to be more gentle than normal, their ability to care comes out just a little bit. This gift that God gives us in the form of a child, needs to be shared, because the child brings happiness not only to the immediate family, but to everyone around. Everywhere you take a child, you can bring joy. Most people like children, and if they do not, well, then they can just leave the room, that’s my opinion. God loves children, and I love children. Besides, there is just something about them that just makes me happy whenever I am with them. They make me feel young, alive, energetic, smart, fun, engaging, hilarious, playful, all of the things that help me escape the daily routines of my life. So, if you have children, those precious gifts from God, make sure that you understand you have a gift that everyone likes to share and experience, so don’t hide your gift, please bring your children out for all of us to see.

Thanks for sharing, and may you all bless somebody today,

Daryl Dho