You Picked a fine time to leave me Loose Wheel

This week's encouraging comments came from a partner of mine, Chris Niven. He relays how he saw God's hand of protection on the highway last week. Enjoy. He aptly named this "You Picked a fine time to leave me Loose Wheel". I hope you enjoy his testimony of God's grace on the Houston highway last week.


Last week, it was my first time ever to disciple a young man named Jessee after having just studied the Call to Joy and Road to Growth. I especially like the Road to Growth title, as my own testimony could be the ending chapter. What is significant about that Bible study, is we were talking about our favorite scripture and how we can apply it in our everyday life in the Spiritual Guide. Jessee’s favorite scripture is Romans 8:31 - What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? His application of that scripture was to spread the word and fear nothing because God is with him. I shared with him that one of my own favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me. When we finished our study, I was headed to church, travelling around 75-80 miles per hour as I was anxious to get there and perform my duty cleaning in front of the church. As I was driving, I reflected on the significance of these two verses and their underlying power.



After church, I left to pick up my best friend, and out of the blue she called to tell me she had been watching the news, and told me the police were out in full force and that they were merciless on this holiday weekend. She mentioned she had an uncomfortable feeling about my driving that day, and she is not a bossy kind of person, so I listened. I slowed down from 77 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour and thought nothing more about it. Within one minute of her phone call, I passed through the E-Z tag lane at I-10 and Beltway 8 in Houston, Texas, and as my car passed the toll booth, my right front tire blew out and went bouncing down the road. Sparks were flying and for the first couple of seconds, I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to me. I was travelling at 65 miles per hour at the time, so I took my foot off the accelerator and barely moved the steering wheel to the right so I could get onto the shoulder of the road. That was not a good thing to do. My car wobbled and for a second, I believe I was traveling on one wheel. Witnesses who stopped, told me they thought I was going to flip. The insurance adjuster told me that most drivers that loose an entire wheel on the highway usually lose control of their vehicles. An officer also told me that if I had been travelling over 70 miles an hour, drivers almost always lose control.



I clamped on the steering wheel and held a tight straight path, any deviations from this path could spell disaster. It is probably a good time to mention that during this whole event, I felt no fear. My mind was simply calculating my next move and one wrong move could mean my life and the lives of others around me. I couldn’t go to the shoulder of the road, so I applied my brakes to slow down in hopes no one would run into the rear of my car. It was a good strategy except I had no brakes. So here I am, on a straight and narrow path, I can’t go around anything, and I am basically helpless. I was watching my life pass before m y very eyes, with only thoughts of survival and seeing my loved ones again, and saying to myself that God will strengthen me. I’m watching the speedometer slowly go from 65 to 60, from 60 to 55, from 55 to 50, from 50 to 45, I think you get the picture. It takes a LONG TIME for my car to slow down to around 20 miles an hour when I can finally start steering my car to the shoulder of the road.



I came in for a landing at the most desirable spot you could imagine. It was right at the end of the freeway at the beginning of the exit where there was plenty of room to park without concern of being hit. Four police cars showed up right away, and I never felt fear, but my hands were shaking and I was clearly nervous after going through a ride that made Space Mountain look like Playland Park. One officer told me he had the report and saw my wheel which he pitched into the grassy area off the road, but had to drive about a half a mile before he saw me on the side of the road. We estimated it took about 1 minute before my car finally came to a stop. A tow truck showed up and we were about to leave, so I thanked the officers and shared with one very nice officer that I had been memorizing my scripture when y accident occurred and he said it is a good thing or I might not have been around to share the story and then he told me something I will never forget. He said, “Someone up above still has work for you to do on this planet.” Those were the last words I heard before I got into the tow truck, and then it hit me. Wow! That is God’s way of communicating with me.



What are the odds that I studied the scripture about fearing nothing if God is with you? What are the odds of studying that I can do all things through him who strengthens me? What are the odds that I would get a phone call from a friend who has an intuitive thought about me speeding that day (no one ever called to tell me they were worried about y driving). What are the odds that I would listen to her and slow down 12 miles an hour? What are the odds that my whole wheel would come off and not damage anything or anybody? What are the odds that my car didn’t flip or me lose control of the vehicle? What are the odds that I didn’t hit someone, or someone hit me? What are the odds that my vehicle would stop at the most desirable place to land? Finally, what are the odds that the last words I hear in this event are “Someone up above still has work for you to do on this planet?”



Well, I don’t know about you, but the message is very clear to me. We are all on this planet for a short time, and there is danger lurking from all directions and we have a choice how to live our lives. What is behind us can’t be changed, and if we panic or just make a wrong move it can spell disaster, and there is no stopping what is ahead. In my case, my only course was to follow a straight and narrow path without fear, and trust in the Lord to take care of me.



Last week, my pastor mentioned the men needed someone to step up and facilitate a men’s Bible study. I thought about it, but I was worried that I had never done anything like it before, but now I think I NEVER DROVE MY CAR 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THREE WHEELS EITHER! So, I am sending my pastor a copy of the letter, and if that position is still open, I would be honored to accept, provided the elders and men of the congregation will allow me to serve.



The message to all of us is that if you woke up this morning and took a breath of air, and if you had the opportunity to read my testimony, then wake up and realize that God still has work for you to do on this planet as well!





Chris Niven

Upstream Professionals, Inc.

V.P. Business Development

Powering Your Life with the Right Fuel

When growing up on the farm in Montana, a neighbor was having a problem with gasoline being stolen from his tanks on the farm. One day he decided to switch the labels on the tanks on the diesel and gasoline tanks so as to catch the thief. One Sunday he returned home from church to find a car stalled in his driveway that had filled up with "free diesel" in a gasoline powered car. Needless to say the driver was quite embarrased when he had to come fetch his car. It didn't quite take him where he intended for it to with the wrong fuel to power it.

Our lives often fall short of satisfying destinations when we choose the wrong fuel to power our life.

The good news here is that God is very clear about the fuel source we need to navigate our path in the life he has given us. Consider the following verses :

Psalm 1:2-3

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3]He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. [8]The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. [9]The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. [10]They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. [11]By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Are your daily thoughts powered by the right fuel that will carry you daily to the place where you experience the presence of your Creator. His word is the key to our spiritual energy.

The key to successfully powering our way to the abundant life that God has offered is reading and reflecting on the promises and commands of God's Word. Jesus spoke the following words to his disciples giving them the plan to follow for the richest and most fulfilling life possible.

John 15:4-5
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
[5]"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

I pray this has encouraged you to "fuel up" with the powerful word of God. God has promised great peace through his Word and abiding in it will produce a satisfying fruit for your life. It will also benefit those around you as well !

Colossians 3:15-16
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [16]Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Peace to you and pass this on


Thankful for The Word of God,


Jeff Dyk

Put Away What Drags You Down

As I was driving down a highway one time a while ago and I came upon a blockade in the road that was a result of a rockslide. Heavy equipment was busy removing the rubble, while the line of cars had no choice but to wait to get to their destinations on the other side. I was reminded of the work that has to be done in our hearts and minds to think and act in ways that please Christ who died in our place.

Something has to give way in the heart and mind of man to be thinkers and doers in the ways of God. And thinking as God instructed takes transformation from patterns we have from each of our sinful pasts.

Romans 12:1-2 puts it very clearly.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship. [2]Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Colossians 3:5-10 gets specific as to exacly what types of obsticles to our thinking that needs changing to please our Lord with our thoughts and ways.

" Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6]Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7]You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8]But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. [9]Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10]and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

The list above is a great heart checklist of attitudes and sins that prevent us from getting to the place where we see and think in the manner that pleases our Great God and Savior.

The word of God is the heavy equipment that God gives us to remove the rubble of sinful thinking that keeps us from the destination of a deep relationship with our Creator.
Obedience to God is the fuel that gives the power to move those same roadblocks.

Consider the following verses from Psalm 119.

Psalm 119:9,11
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. [11]I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

I encourage you to invest some time with God to inventory your thoughts. Allow Him to speak to you about his way of thinking. The outcome of such time will be greater peace and joy when you see with clearer vision his blueprint of values for your thinking.

King David scripted Psalm 51 when he had committed the sin of adultry. You can see the desire of David to correct his thinking and God's desire for His truth to be in our heart of hearts.

Psalm 51:6-12
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. [7]Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. [8]Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. [9]Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. [10]Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. [11]Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. [12]Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.


May your week be filled with the work of upward thinking and may those you care about be blessed by it as well.

Peace to you and pass this on if you wish

Thankfully His,


Jeff Dyk

Setting your Focus Above.

Setting your Focus Above.

Easter is my favorite day to celebrate above all other days. The amazing truth of how God reached down from his throne in the heavens to save us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his only Son.

I also love the challenges to our pattern of thinking from the impact of this day. Realizing that God reached out to us and invited us to call on him begs the response of "What should I do?", and, "How should I think?". Colossians 3:1-4 gives some great admonitions in this regard.

Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. [2]Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3]For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4]When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

God showed us a glimpse of heaven in the life of his Son and told us to set our hearts and passions on things above. Because those are the things that matter. When we set our core self to the pursuit of a deepening relationship with Christ, our outlook dramatically changes.

1, We see ourselves from God's viewpoint. (Valued, forgiven, restored, and made holy).

2. We consider service to others as natural and important to the outcomes God desires.

3. Our basic hopes in this world are founded upon the day we will see Jesus face to face. Our hopes will drive our thoughts and actions.

It says our lives are hidden with Christ in God which speaks loudly about our security and reason to focus upward. As we establish our minds to realizing this truth, our lives have much deeper hope and challenge. The almighty calls us to think upward.

Here is to hoping you have an upward thinking week.

God bless and pass this on !

His Servsnt ,


Jeff Dyk

A Writing to Encourage Some Friends

This week has been a particularly difficult week for some close friends. A young man that works with me in our company lost his close friend to a gun accident (only 19 years old) and another good friend of the family is battling fiercely with cancer. I wish I had easy answers for the storms that life delivers, but I don't. What I do have, however is a deep hope in the everlasting love of God, who sees us and knows each of our battles. Would you join me this week in praying for these people.

I wrote the following script tonight in hopes that it would bring encouragement in the face of discouraging news and situations.

Before Your Presence

Comes to us our battles long

We give our lives to you in song

The path ahead may seem unclear

But by your Hand, you calm our fear

We strive to make the best come true

With all the things we work to do

Yet the clouds grow dark to rain

We bend our knees and spill our pain

Lord we pray our sickness heal

To Your mighty power appeal

That by your hand, you may restore

Our health, and hope, and more

When our upward cries by You’ve been heard

Your Promise kept springs from the Word

Your Spirit in our hearts does flow

Your Peace comes in and lets us know

Your Hand is on us all through the night

The Eye of God sees our plight

Your plans for us they never fail

And through the dark, we shall prevail

So give us now, since our prayers are heard

The very courage from your Word

To stay the course through our night

And to daily fight the fight

For when all times have come and gone

And you have brought us to your throne

We will see with clearer eye

The When, the How, the Why

Of the battles we did face

Ever needing your deep Grace

And the treasures that shall last

Before your majesty be cast

So thank you Lord for the battle here

One day you shall make clear

The Things you built inside our heart

Are of a value that shall never part

--
His Servant,

Jeff Dyk
281-750-9104