Popeye Moments

Dear Friend:

Ever have one of those Popeye moments? You’re probably asking, “Elaine what are Popeye moments?”

A couple of months ago a friend told me how their youth group did a teaching with Popeye spinach. A couple of weeks later I buy a book that my Pastor wrote and it had a whole chapter entitled “Popeye moments.” Then I go looking for a Popeye cartoon in video stores and can not find it anywhere. Well, this past month I went on a Caribbean cruise and wouldn’t you know everyday on the cruise stations they have Popeye cartoons. LOL! I thought I better find some object lesson in this or I maybe seeing Popeye everywhere.

What happens next is so much fun. I go looking for the cheapest way to purchase Popeye spinach for my lesson to the young girls I teach. I am standing in the store asking “Lord how many cans I should buy?” Don’t ask me, ask God, but the number 14 comes into my head. So I buy fourteen cans. Guess how many girls came to the meeting that day. That is right, fourteen came. God is having so much fun with me.

You’re probably saying, get to the point Elaine. I am, I am. I e-mail the girls and say come to small group and you will go home stronger. No, I did not make them eat the spinach. But what I did do is look up many verses in the bible with the word strength in it. The Old Testament has the word strength 165 times and the New Testament 15 times.

As I watched the very first episode of Popeye I found out, he did not know the power of spinach. His father keeps telling him “you gots to eat your spinach.” He never listens. Popeye is strong on his own, he doesn’t need any spinach. Until the final battle with Pluto comes and Popeye is trying to save Olive Oil and the baby (sweat pea?). He is running out of strength and his father throws him a can of open spinach and Pluto not knowing about spinach, shoves it down Popeye’s throat. The crazy Popeye moment comes when he fills up with supernatural energy and wins the fight. The crazy song begins to play, “I’m Popeye the sailor man, I’m Popeye the sailor man, I’m strong to the finish because I eats my spinach I’m Popeye the sailor man (hoot hoot through his pipe comes the noise).”

David in the bible was running because he was being hunted down by Saul. David is the author of most of the Psalms and that is where the word strength appears the most in the bible. David knew where his strength needed to come from and it wasn’t spinach, it was GOD.

So the girls and I watched the end of Popeye and we began to talk about ourselves. Isn’t it just like us to get up each day and tackle the day without our spinach (GOD)? We think on our own we have enough to get through the day. We talked about what takes our strength away…..a unjust thing happens, your parents are not getting along, bad health, you don’t make the team, someone lies to you, you see injustice, you have a crabby teacher, your mom or dad are on your case, your brother or sister is driving you nuts, lack of food/water, lack of someone understanding you, false accusations, betrayal of a friend, crying from being overwhelmed and many more. How can we renew are strength. We must believe the promise of God that he will renew our strength. He is the giver of strength. We can see examples in the bible of this, but when you experience God giving you supernatural strength and you know He did it. There is nothing like God teaching you His strength, it is awesome. Meditating on the word and saying what God says “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.” Philippians 4:13 Sometimes we just need to be saying that over and over and stop thinking about the problem but think about the God who gives promises or commands.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Courage isn’t having the strength to go on- it’s going on when you don’t have the strength.

Let’s pray: Father in heaven. Thank you for each day. Thank you that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Let me live this kind of trust out in my life. Give me strength. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Something else we discussed at the end of the lesson that I think I must end with. Sometime you see injustice in school, the workplace, grocery store, neighborhood, on the tennis court and all over. You need to pray and ask God for strength and say “should I say something or not.” When you see something wrong it takes strength to speak up. Popeye would say “I cants stands it no more” and then he would eat the spinach and fight. We need to do the same when we see things that are wrong and say “I cants stands it no more’, then pray and ask God for strength and do what is right.

I canst stands it no more, JUST GIVE ME JESUS!

Elaine

Excuses, Excuses

Dear Friend:

Do you ever feel like there is never enough time in a day to get things done? Do you just fall in bed at night and think “I never stopped for one moment today, I was like the energizer bunny.” You just keep going and going. I feel as if the Lord is saying “you must take the time out for you and ME. Just as you visit with others to catch up, you must do with me.” I think what happens if we don’t that is when we can get physically sick or maybe just depressed. Do you know what I mean? I really think you understand that time with God is never wasted. Many ask “how do I begin doing that, it just is so uncomfortable for me?”

The Father speaks “baby steps, baby steps, just begin to talk to me.”

Philippians 3:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 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 as you hold out the word of life –in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Making excuses, complaining, and arguing only make things worse. I just know you are saying “your right.” Haven’t you ever witnessed someone who is taking the time to pray and spend time with God? They have a peace about them. Paul says these things because he wants to present himself before His savior like a shining star. That is what we want to model to our children and others. Be blessed today with this simple message. STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND JUST BEGIN PRAYING AND READING GOD’S WORD.

Let’s pray: Father in heaven I am sorry for making excuses not to spend time with you. Help me to find time for you. Thank you for today and every day. In Jesus Name I pray.

I just thought of something. If you don’t know how to pray, begin with praying and meditating on the Lord’s prayer. You can find it starting at Matt. 6:9.

Not making excuses,

Elaine

You've Got to be Kidding

Dear Friend:

Happy New Year! I just got back from a restful vacation with family. Have you ever had a friend who introduced you to someone and the one you were being introduced to is pretty famous? They can be famous because they are a politician, movie star or various other reasons. You find out they are from a very small town you never even heard of and your response is “you’ve got to be kidding.”

When I was reading John 1:35-51, Jesus passed by John and two of His disciples and John exclaims “look, the Lamb of God!” They knew it was true so much so that Andrew, brother of Simon, went out and got his brother and told Simon, come we have found the Messiah, that is, the Christ. They went to see Jesus. Jesus looked up at Simon and said you will be called Cephas, which when translated is Peter, the rock.

The very next day Jesus was moving on and finding Philip said to him, “Follow me.” Philip found Nathanael and told him, “we have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael questions Philip, “Nazareth? “ You’ve got to be kidding.” But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.” When Jesus saw him coming he said, “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.” Then Jesus assures Nathanael that he saw him under a fig tree in the past. Nathanael knew what Jesus said is true. Enough so that he exclaims “Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!” That fast, that quick was Nathanael’s response.

Are you a Nathanael? Do you know that the Father in Heaven sits and knows everywhere you go? How do you respond to that knowledge? Do you exclaim as quickly as Nathanael did? You are the Son of God! Jesus then responds to Nathanael’s reaction with “you believe, because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. You shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” WOW! We know the rest of the story because we have it in writing. Wow! Do you have a Nathanael response to Jesus? Are you as disturbed as Jesus is regarding the “lost”, those who do not know Jesus? Anyone that wants to talk about Jesus today is crazy; it is not a very popular topic. Why? Life and death is all around us and we don’t want to talk about the one who gives life and restores us to Him upon our death? That is something to think about today. We are all called to share our faith. Jesus never pressured the Apostles into following Him. He just simply met them and they knew in their hearts who they were standing before.

Let’s pray: Father in heaven thank you for the Bible. Thank you how I can see one encounter with you can change my life forever. Lord I want to know you more this New Year. Help me to hunger for your word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Responding like Nathanael,

Elaine

No Vacancy

Dear Friend:

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Aren’t you happy it is a New Year? I am so excited about everything that is going on in life. Everything was so great this past Christmas. BUT CAN I BE REAL WITH YOU? SOMETHING IS MISSING TODAY NOW THAT CHRISTMAS IS OVER.

At first I described my heart condition as “Empty.” I FEEL EMPTY. But when I looked at the synonym for empty the word “vacant” was on that list. That really is a much better word. Let me describe why “vacant” is a better word for my heart. For Christmas I had a “No Vacancy” heart. That means my heart was filled with Jesus. When I looked at the word Vacant this message really began to develop. I celebrated Jesus birthday. Did you? We get on a roll and do the Christmas thing and life and then all of the sudden “Bam,” Vacancy happens. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE DROVE UP TO MY HOUSE AND PUT A VACANCY SIGN ON MY FRONT LAWN? A spot in your heart that needs something quick! What that means to me is there is a spot in my heart and mind that has space and I know for myself that I am struggling to have nice responses to those I love. At first I thought maybe there is too much togetherness and we are getting sick of each other. I got alone with Jesus today and asked Him, what is the matter with me and my heart right now? I want so bad to continue to put on a happy face for those I love. But I just can’t control my quick sharp responses to them. WHAT’S UP GOD? I FEEL KINDA OF UGLY RIGHT NOW.

Colossians 3:12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 3:13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

3:14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

3:15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

3:16Let 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.

3:17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The word must richly dwell with us. We need a fresh word from God. Paul knew when he wrote the letter to the Colossians they needed “rules for Holy Living,” that is why he wrote the above verse. Take down the “VACANCY” sign and say I REPLACE IT WITH “NO VACANCY.” How do you do that? Read the word and be taught by it and meditate on it throughout the day. Take the focus off others and the ugly feeling you are having and think about being taught by the master.

I was just ironing a shirt and the Lord said to me. I am the Iron in your life. I want to take out all of those wrinkles you are complaining about. Can you pick-up the “Iron” and go to work and let me help get out the wrinkles. You can’t look at the wrinkles in a shirt and think they will go away by looking at them. Can you? No! You have to pick-up the Iron and take some time to press them out. Do you get what God is saying? Spend some time on theBible and what God says. If you do then YOU WILL THINK CLEARER, HAVE MORE ENERGY TO RESPOND TO LIFE AND THOSE YOU LOVE. I really pray for us today that we won’t get a “vacancy” notice from God, but we get “No Vacancy.” Why? Cause if you heart is full of God stuff then you have no room for ugly stuff.

No Vacancy,

Elaine