Monday, October 27, 2003
Being holy is not about showing up for church dressed nice and a splash of killer cologne or perfume. Being holy is about worshiping God with a clean heart and a fragrance of gratitude!
-Lyn Sahr
2 Cor 2:14-16 NIV
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Being young is not an excuse for being irreverent of God.
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 5:7-8 NIV
But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies–
make straight your way before me.
Saturday, October 25, 2003
The important thing about falling in love is that someone catches you that is falling toward you! There are few crashes harder on a person that falling in love and not being caught. That’s where God comes in. He is very good at picking the wounded heart off the floor!
-Lyn Sahr
-Joel 2:13 NIV
Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
Friday, October 24, 2003
When I was a teenager a classmate gave me a ride on his motorcycle. Going well in excess of the speed limit he was weaving in and out of the white lines in the middle of the highway. I can remember the fear and the feeling of relief when we finally came to a safe stop.
Many young people experience life like me on the back of the motorcycle: fast, at risk, and someone else in control. I have never ridden on the back of a motorcycle since that day! We are never on safe ground until we put our lives in God’s hands, not in the hands of peers who don’t know what safety is and aren’t really concerned if you arrive safe!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 118:27 NIV
The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
How do you determine if someone is really a friend? A friend will never ask you or try to persuade you to do anything that is potentially harmful to you or in disagreement with the teachings of God’s Word.
Friends are friends forever only if they share a faith in Christ!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 51:10 NIV
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
How do you find a Christian husband or wife? Don’t date anyone who is not a Christian!
-Lyn Sahr
-2 Cor 6:14-16 NIV
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
How do you find a Christian husband or wife? Don’t date anyone who is not a Christian!
-Lyn Sahr
-2 Cor 6:14-16 NIV
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
The risk of human love is that you might get hurt. The risk of never loving is that you will never be loved!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 118:1 NIV
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Monday, October 20, 2003
Everyday people do everyday things. That doesn’t mean their lives are boring. Rather it means they have taken responsibility! People who refuse to be responsible in the daily things will not be responsible in the eternal things!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 146:5-6 NIV
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them–
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
When people are passionately committed to Jesus Christ there is no such thing as a boring worship service!
-Lyn Sahr
-Rev 3:15-16 NIV
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
The kingdom of God will only be as real in your life as you allow it to be! God doesn’t change and, therefore, He can be as real to you as the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther or John Westley.
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 3:1 NIV
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
Friday, October 17, 2003
If growing up were easy there would be no need for all the books for teens!
-Lyn Sahr
-Eccl 4:13-14 NIV
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
The security of life is not whether you have a good job, a great retirement or a family inheritance. Security in this life is knowing that when you die, through faith in Christ, you will spend eternity in heaven. It doesn’t get more secure than eternal life, spending eternity in the presence of God.
-Lyn Sahr
-John 14:6-7 NIV
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
The riches of life is not the paycheck received, retirement investments or possessions obtained. The riches of life is the love of God that fills the empty soul giving it peace and rest!
-Lyn Sahr
-Col 2:2 NIV
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
The beauty of life is not what color of the sunset is, the mountain peaks or the grassy fields. The beauty of life is the color of ones heart!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 50:1-2 NIV
The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
Monday, October 13, 2003
As I looked out over the crowd there were tears from people of all ages. Whether they were old or young didn’t seem to matter. As I spoke at the funeral service I realized that death is painful to everyone, regardless of age. When a loved one dies tears of grief melt the generational gap away.
We don’t think about death too often when we are young but it is no less real. Death is not a possibility or even a probability. Death is an absolute for each of us. When we are young we have a tendency to put the idea off until we are older. The same way we put off our attendance of church or even our faith itself. Quite foolish it would seem.
If we don’t have time for God when we are young there is a high probability that we will never have time for God!
-Lyn Sahr
-Eccl 3:11-12 NIV
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
When preachers pour out their hearts and tell people to become more Christ like, they often forget to mention that we don’t make ourselves Christ like, we allow God to make us Christ like!
-Lyn Sahr
-1 Peter 2:4-6 NIV
As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Saturday, October 11, 2002
Being close to God requires that we cannot go whatever direction the winds of peer pressure blows. God is not moved by trends or recent fads. God remains the same, the same God He was to our grandparents and their ancestors. God doesn’t change even though people do!
-Lyn Sahr
-1 Sam 15:29 NIV
He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
Friday, October 10. 2003
If God would give you anything you wanted, what would you choose? If you were given the same question twenty years from now, what do you think your answer would be? Wisdom? Perhaps that should be your answer today!
-Lyn Sahr
-Prov 2:1-11 NIV
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair–every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
Thursday, October 9, 2003
The concept of love at first sight is overrated. The concept of love at lasting sight is underrated. The concept of the love that God places between a man and a woman is X-rated… “extra special!”
-Lyn Sahr
-Read the “Song of Solomon”
Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Yesterday I was at the Dairy Queen, a soft serve ice cream place in America, and three teenage girls were there in line ahead of me. They were loud, rude, obnoxious and less than lady like in their worn out jeans, old t-shirts, tattoos and body piercing. I could barely stand it so I just left without any ice cream. When I got back to my office I thought, “What happened to them?
I see the lives of young people differently. I view it from a parent and grandparent perspective. I have carried my daughters out of the hospital when they were born, taken them home and watched them grow up to be women. Did they always do everything right and perfect. No? But when they drifted away from Godly friends, behavior or appearance I was grieved. Too many young people day do not understand the price they are paying and will continue to pay for their loss of incense and decency. You can never recapture your innocence.
Society around the world is assassinating innocence! When innocence is dead it rots and stinks!
-Lyn Sahr
-Prov 16:2-6 NIV
All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends–
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
Tuesday, October 4, 2003
When we think in terms of finding a husband or wife “for life” it sounds a lot different than just finding a husband or wife. Many young people today have bought into the idea that they should follow the way of the world instead of following the way of Christ.
The world says you should date all kinds of people, have sex with them if you feel like it and gain the experience so you are prepared for marriage. Hmm, a lot of people experience venereal disease and/or pregnancy through this marriage preparation experience!
God says to honor Him first and then, all things are possible including the husband or wife “for life” that God has for you! Now that’s what I call a heavenly experience!
-Lyn Sahr
-Matt 6:33-34 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Monday, October 6, 2003
Last night I sat by a bonfire on Seekers Bay, roasted a hot dog and made some smores. The mood was out and the stars glistened in the sky. As I pondered the greatness of God I began to feel quite small and, I was glad. I am glad the God of the universe watches over and passionately loves someone as little as myself. Strangely enough, many Christians are still running around trying to fill God’s shoes only to trip and fall.
-Phil 2:14-16 NIV
Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
Sunday, October 5, 2003
Recently I saw bumper sticker that kind of stuck in my mind:
We let kids run wild and we send dogs to obedience school!
Unfortunately, even though most people recognize there is something wrong with this picture they are looking at someone else’s photo album.
-Lyn Sahr
-Prov 10:1 NIV
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Saturday October 4, 2003
I took this past Wednesday morning off to take my five year-old son to an eye doctor appointment that was with a specialist a couple hours away.
Now like a lot of dads out there, I feel I don’t always get to spend quality one-on-one time with each of my children, but this morning I was going to make count. We talked and shared, and sang our favorite “Veggie Tales” bible songs together all the way there.
After the appointment we went to his favorite “fast food” restaurant and headed for home.
Now the Holy Spirit was working in his heart and mine, because on that return trip I had the opportunity to pray with him to accept Jesus as his Lord and savior. What a great moment in this dad’s life, as my son made the most important decision of his young life.
Don’t let the “moment” the holy spirit has given you to lead your children to the Lord, take his lead and be the “dad” that God wants you to be. Even if you are in full-time vocational ministry, your first priority dad is to minister to your wife and children.
By the way, I’ve had the privilege know to pray with four of my children to accept Christ, what a great thing!
-Garrett Novak
-John 3:16-19 NIV
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Friday, October 3, 2003
I always enjoy paying tribute to my grandmother who would have been 93 today. God called her home at the age of 89 after a glorious life of faithfulness. Being faithful is something that is overlooked in the “experience driven” church today. You see, for many people if the Sunday worship service doesn’t do something for them they either quit and stay home or go find the “Greatest Sunday Morning Show on Earth” down the street. My grandmother stayed in the same little country church for around 60 years. She didn’t go to church because it was always entertaining or uplifting. She went because she was faithful, to God and the church.
Being faithful has nothing to do with being entertained!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 37:28 NIV
For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Thursday, October 2, 2003
When I see hatred in people, I see the devil. When I see love in people, I see God! When I see people who have love and hate, I see immature Christians who have not committed to give their all to Christ.
Love is what hate isn’t!
-Lyn Sahr
-Rom 12:9 NIV
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Wednesday, October 1, 2002
Since my grandson was very small I have sang to him the children’s song, “This Little Light of Mine.” He is so cute as he holds his pointing finger up when I hold mine up. I want him to always remember that no matter where the road of life takes you there is never a time that the light of Jesus does not go with you. The next time life seems to be getting the best of you and you happen to lift your pointing finger remember, that little light that shines in the hearts of small children still shines in you! Don’t ever cover it up!
-Lyn Sahr
1 John 1:5 NIV
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
