Prayer - A Very Personal Invitation From God to You
It was the fourth of July, 1991 when a relative's family in Oregon was attending a fireworks party. The 12 year old boy of the family always looked forward to this event and this year seemed no different. As the evening began to settle in and the anticipation of the fireworks was building, the young boy began to sense a strong urging to pray for someone that was going to be in a bad accident. He approached his father and told them they must leave the celebration and go home to pray. Wisely, the father recognized his son's determination to pray for what was on his mind and deemed it important to listen. Hastily, the family went home to pray that evening for whoever it was that was in a bad accident. Early the next morning (west coast time) the young man arose again and awakened his family to get up to pray yet again.
2000 miles away in Kansas it was 9:00 AM the Friday morning after the 4th of July and my office was closed, but I had to take drilling reports from the field, so I decided to pack my 2 young kids in the car with me to make an adventure for the day. My wife, Michelle, who was pregnant with our 3rd child, decided to stay home and visit with her mom who was in town. Routinely, I put the kids in the car seats and buckled them in. At the last moment before I took off, I decided to put my son Darren directly behind me, instead of the passenger side where I could look back and check on him. Meanwhile, Michelle felt uncomfortable with the glass bottle Chelsea had ( our 2 year old) and switched it out for a plastic bottle. With everyone in place I received a warm wave goodbye and we headed off on the route to work that I took everyday of the week. I knew the route well, and the lights on the main stretch of Douglas Avenue were always times just right to facilitate good traffic flow. As I approached downtown I anticipated the lights to change as they did every other day, but this day was different. Without expecting it, the light on Main Street did not change because of a different holiday traffic flow, and I ended up in the intersection of Main and Douglas on a red light. Everything went into slow motion for me as a 12 passenger van loaded with children slammed into the passenger side of our Ford Exolorer, crushing the side panel into the vehicle by 2 feet. As we began to roll, I remember hearing a voice saying "don't worry, everything will be alright ". The Explorer flipped sideways for a single roll, and then defied the law of physics and was lifted in the air the opposite direction, leaving my 2 year old in the middle of the street, having been jolted out of her child seat. Our car finished it's airborne journey accross the intersection, opposite the direction of the accident, on top of a third vehicle. The van that broadsided us was diverted 90 degrees opposite of the impact and landed yet opposite of my vehicle but left a 120 ft distance between it and my daughter in the middle of the road. When I landed, and looked over my shoulder to check on my kids, I began to panic when I did not see her. I heard a voice say "Don't worry, look to your left, I have protected her'. I looked out my window and saw my daughter with a bewildered look with no glass or car from the wreck within 120 feet of her. I had a broken rib and couldn't move. Since we were in the area of a fire house , medics were at the scene witin seconds. My son who was 5 got out of the car and went and sat by his sister until the help came. All the children in the passenger van that hit us were unharmed. Chelsea lost most of her baby teeth from the bottle that jammed her mouth during the accident. She had 60 stitches in her skull, yet no concushion the doctor said she would not have survived if she had been drinking from the glass bottle we changed at the last moment. Darren would have taken the brunt of the impact had I not changed his seating just before we left. If my wife had decided to come she too would have been crushed by the blow and likely our 3rd child Grace would have been lost. God was truly with us that day, and we are forever thankful for the young cousin who took the time to listen and pray. We named our 3rd child Grace Dawn, because we saw that God's grace was new every morning.
We are invited by God to boldly approach Him with our prayers. He loves to hear us, and promises to respond. Consider the following verses.
(NIV) John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
(NIV) Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When Christ died on the cross for our sins, His intent was to reconcile us to a vital relationship with God. The event of the death , burial, and ressurection of Jesus was to allow us to be clothed in Christ's robe of righteousness and have full access to Him to get to know his heart intimately.
I encourage you to bend your knee and approach the throne of God with boldness because of the finished work of Christ. You will be heard. He wants you to hear him also. Your life will be changed by it.
God bless and pass this on.
Jeff Dyk
President
Upstream Professionals, Inc.
281-750-9104
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Enduring for Joy !!
Many years back (and a few pounds ago) I used to have to run a 4 mile course early in the morning for basketball in college. We played at an altitude of 5600 feet above sea level, so air was thin and the course grueling up and down many hills. I clearly remember the very last hill of the run was very steep and 1/2 mile in total length. At the top of the hill you would get an incredible view of the sun peaking over the mountain in the east, and a good look at the entire city of Butte, Montana as it woke up to the morning sky. I remember working hard on that last hill, thinking just a few more steps, and the view would be worth the struggle. And it was... 6:00 AM when I would reach the top, it was an amazing feeling looking out over God's creation in all of the morning light. It was truly a great feeling.
Often times, as I think of the struggle of that run, and the exhilarating feeling and view at the end of the long struggle, I am reminded of Philippians 2:5-11
You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
When Jesus Christ left the luxuries of heaven, as the Son of God, and even equal to God, and in fact was God (the trinity) he left behind so much to endure his life here on earth, being shamed by those he created, and killed by those he loved on a cross. In doing so, he demonstrated God's love for us and that no cost was to much to go through for the view of restoring a relationship with you because of the paid penalty of sin. It wasn't the pain that drove his sacrifice, it was the JOY of eradicating the eternal punishment for sin for you ... What a view from the Top.
When I observe fellow believers sacrifice in a number of ways in order to love one another and to spread the message of Christ at great sacrifice to themselves, I am reminded of the view that is their reward. The view of new friends knowing the love of God... The view of people's lives turned toward their creator in new found hope, The view of a generation who have passed on the message of God's love and hope to a new generation... What a view, and how much it is worth the struggle.
I hope this week, that you know that Christ's journey of suffering for you was for the JOY of knowing you closely and paying for your sins in full. I hope also, that as you consider the struggle it may be to find a way to communicate that same message of hope to another, that you will consider the view from the TOP more than the struggle to get there.
God Bless and Pass this on..
His Servant
Jeff Dyk
Often times, as I think of the struggle of that run, and the exhilarating feeling and view at the end of the long struggle, I am reminded of Philippians 2:5-11
You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself,by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the namethat is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
When Jesus Christ left the luxuries of heaven, as the Son of God, and even equal to God, and in fact was God (the trinity) he left behind so much to endure his life here on earth, being shamed by those he created, and killed by those he loved on a cross. In doing so, he demonstrated God's love for us and that no cost was to much to go through for the view of restoring a relationship with you because of the paid penalty of sin. It wasn't the pain that drove his sacrifice, it was the JOY of eradicating the eternal punishment for sin for you ... What a view from the Top.
When I observe fellow believers sacrifice in a number of ways in order to love one another and to spread the message of Christ at great sacrifice to themselves, I am reminded of the view that is their reward. The view of new friends knowing the love of God... The view of people's lives turned toward their creator in new found hope, The view of a generation who have passed on the message of God's love and hope to a new generation... What a view, and how much it is worth the struggle.
I hope this week, that you know that Christ's journey of suffering for you was for the JOY of knowing you closely and paying for your sins in full. I hope also, that as you consider the struggle it may be to find a way to communicate that same message of hope to another, that you will consider the view from the TOP more than the struggle to get there.
God Bless and Pass this on..
His Servant
Jeff Dyk
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Imitating God ? Now that is a tall order !! (Is it ?)
(NIV) Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
In the business world, there is the constant competitive pressure to imitate successful efforts elsewhere. So much so, that there have even been cases of Corporate spying and stealing of plans in order to imitate a competitive product.
In the sports world, it is common to see kids pretending to be a famous figure making the last shot of a game, scoring the winning run or touchdown. For me growing up, it was always Jack Sikma's jump shot. I even had a coach who emphasized that I should shoot like him.
We all have generally had people we have known or known of that we strive to imitate in some manner. It is actually a God given trait to be steered correctly in the important manners of life so that we can enjoy a more abundant life experience by learning successful patterns.
I love the verse that says to be imitators of God. It gives me great hope to know that I have a pattern to follow that will (not maybe) lead to success. As I begin this journey I will begin to notice bad patterns that keep me from enjoying what God put before me. That is what the pattern book (the Bible) is for !!! Consider the following verse :
(NIV) Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God gave us a blueprint to imitate true successful living. It's patterns are dynamically opposed to the world's blueprint. Greed, envy, lust, immorality (sin) has no part in this plan. We must put off the bad patterns and put on the winning pattern.
I was tremendously encouraged this past week in hearing of a good friend's efforts to get many people started on being disciples to follow Christ. He is exposing God's blueprint for others and living it as an example for others to see. Thanks Bob!!!
I hope this gives you both encouragement and a challenge to ask yourself how you are imitating God. Are your eyes fixed on Jesus ?
Are you seeking God's guidance to lay aside the bad pattern's. Be imitators of God ! Reach high !
God bless and pass this on.
His servant,
Jeff Dyk
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
In the business world, there is the constant competitive pressure to imitate successful efforts elsewhere. So much so, that there have even been cases of Corporate spying and stealing of plans in order to imitate a competitive product.
In the sports world, it is common to see kids pretending to be a famous figure making the last shot of a game, scoring the winning run or touchdown. For me growing up, it was always Jack Sikma's jump shot. I even had a coach who emphasized that I should shoot like him.
We all have generally had people we have known or known of that we strive to imitate in some manner. It is actually a God given trait to be steered correctly in the important manners of life so that we can enjoy a more abundant life experience by learning successful patterns.
I love the verse that says to be imitators of God. It gives me great hope to know that I have a pattern to follow that will (not maybe) lead to success. As I begin this journey I will begin to notice bad patterns that keep me from enjoying what God put before me. That is what the pattern book (the Bible) is for !!! Consider the following verse :
(NIV) Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God gave us a blueprint to imitate true successful living. It's patterns are dynamically opposed to the world's blueprint. Greed, envy, lust, immorality (sin) has no part in this plan. We must put off the bad patterns and put on the winning pattern.
I was tremendously encouraged this past week in hearing of a good friend's efforts to get many people started on being disciples to follow Christ. He is exposing God's blueprint for others and living it as an example for others to see. Thanks Bob!!!
I hope this gives you both encouragement and a challenge to ask yourself how you are imitating God. Are your eyes fixed on Jesus ?
Are you seeking God's guidance to lay aside the bad pattern's. Be imitators of God ! Reach high !
God bless and pass this on.
His servant,
Jeff Dyk
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