by Dan Langerock
Hold me, and love me,
When grief comes my way.
And I will do
The same for you,
Upon another day.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Have I Told You?
Have I Told You?
by Dan Langerock
Have I told you that I love you
In what I do and say?
Have I put my arms around you
And held you close today?
Have I told you that I love you
From my heart with romance?
Have I taken you for granted,
And left our love to chance?
There's no one else as special, dear.
My heart's in love with you.
Have I told you that I love you?
I hope you know I do.
by Dan Langerock
Have I told you that I love you
In what I do and say?
Have I put my arms around you
And held you close today?
Have I told you that I love you
From my heart with romance?
Have I taken you for granted,
And left our love to chance?
There's no one else as special, dear.
My heart's in love with you.
Have I told you that I love you?
I hope you know I do.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
On-the-Job-Training
by Dan Langerock
As an employee, I have tried to comply with my boss’s requests as soon as I can, instead of waiting. This will keep me from forgetting to do the task and make me more dependable.
When someone tells us to do something, we can have bad attitudes that keep us from being good employees. Some of these attitudes are:
· Pride The task is below what we think we should be doing.
· Stubbornness We just don’t want to do what we are told.
· Uncooperative We don’t feel like helping someone else or find ways to avoid it.
· Competition If you feel threatened by someone possibly getting the job you . want, you may refuse to help that person.
· Too busy We think there isn’t enough time to do anything extra.
These same attitudes can also deter us from serving God as we should. Think what your spiritual life would be like if you obeyed God as quickly as possible when He asked you to do something. If you were that kind of employee in the secular world, you might be considered for a raise or promotion. Even when our bosses don’t recognize our good work, God does, and rewards us according to our attitude not just for the job we have done. How much more will God, who loves you, bless you if you set your heart to obey Him promptly?
As an employee, I have tried to comply with my boss’s requests as soon as I can, instead of waiting. This will keep me from forgetting to do the task and make me more dependable.
When someone tells us to do something, we can have bad attitudes that keep us from being good employees. Some of these attitudes are:
· Pride The task is below what we think we should be doing.
· Stubbornness We just don’t want to do what we are told.
· Uncooperative We don’t feel like helping someone else or find ways to avoid it.
· Competition If you feel threatened by someone possibly getting the job you . want, you may refuse to help that person.
· Too busy We think there isn’t enough time to do anything extra.
These same attitudes can also deter us from serving God as we should. Think what your spiritual life would be like if you obeyed God as quickly as possible when He asked you to do something. If you were that kind of employee in the secular world, you might be considered for a raise or promotion. Even when our bosses don’t recognize our good work, God does, and rewards us according to our attitude not just for the job we have done. How much more will God, who loves you, bless you if you set your heart to obey Him promptly?
Keeping Your Marriage Alive and Well
by Dan Langerock
After the first few weeks of being married, life tends to settle down into the routines of work and other activities you and your spouse are involved in. Here are a few ideas to help keep your marriage alive and well as you progress in your relationship.
· Plan activities you can do together as well as individually. Make a point of setting aside time when you can be together in spite of the busyness of your life. Otherwise, it may happen too infrequently, and begin to deteriorate your relationship as a couple.
· Keep the surprise factor in your marriage: a dozen roses for no certain occasion, a date night together on the spur of the moment or a drive along the beach on a moonlit night.
· Have a set time you can be together as a couple with the Lord to worship and study together. Take the time to share ideas and listen to each other’s point of view about the topic of your study. Perhaps play a tape of a favorite ministry and discuss the content when it is finished.
· Look for ways you can please each other: help with the dishes when the other one is tired, put your arms around your mate and ask how they are doing, writing love notes or poems to each other, and a host of other ideas you can imagine.
· Be sincere with your compliments. When your spouse does something use a compliment to show your appreciation. If they are involved in public speaking or whatever support them in whatever way you can to uplift them.
· Be interested in what they are interested o and learn as much as you can about it so you can be knowledgeable and show you care. For instance, when my wife used to crochet, I would ask her a question about a certain type of stitch she was using
· Just because you are married doesn’t mean there will be less romance. In fact, now there should be more. If you keep the romance alive in your relationship, you will grow closer and more in love with each other.
Don’t let your relationship dwindle away into drudgery and boredom with each other. Use the wisdom and love of God to keep it fresh and alive as a testimony to what God is doing in your lives. Remember, your marriage and how you conduct it are part of your witness. Let your marriage make an impact for God with the love you have for each other.
After the first few weeks of being married, life tends to settle down into the routines of work and other activities you and your spouse are involved in. Here are a few ideas to help keep your marriage alive and well as you progress in your relationship.
· Plan activities you can do together as well as individually. Make a point of setting aside time when you can be together in spite of the busyness of your life. Otherwise, it may happen too infrequently, and begin to deteriorate your relationship as a couple.
· Keep the surprise factor in your marriage: a dozen roses for no certain occasion, a date night together on the spur of the moment or a drive along the beach on a moonlit night.
· Have a set time you can be together as a couple with the Lord to worship and study together. Take the time to share ideas and listen to each other’s point of view about the topic of your study. Perhaps play a tape of a favorite ministry and discuss the content when it is finished.
· Look for ways you can please each other: help with the dishes when the other one is tired, put your arms around your mate and ask how they are doing, writing love notes or poems to each other, and a host of other ideas you can imagine.
· Be sincere with your compliments. When your spouse does something use a compliment to show your appreciation. If they are involved in public speaking or whatever support them in whatever way you can to uplift them.
· Be interested in what they are interested o and learn as much as you can about it so you can be knowledgeable and show you care. For instance, when my wife used to crochet, I would ask her a question about a certain type of stitch she was using
· Just because you are married doesn’t mean there will be less romance. In fact, now there should be more. If you keep the romance alive in your relationship, you will grow closer and more in love with each other.
Don’t let your relationship dwindle away into drudgery and boredom with each other. Use the wisdom and love of God to keep it fresh and alive as a testimony to what God is doing in your lives. Remember, your marriage and how you conduct it are part of your witness. Let your marriage make an impact for God with the love you have for each other.
How to Jump-Start Your Marriage Relationship
By Dan Langerock
Too often, discussions about attitudes and other important information about the individuals getting married are left unsaid until a crisis arises. Then, you may find out too late the way a person reacts in a given situation is not to your liking. As an alternative, I would like to suggest a new way of thinking about the beginning of a marriage.
Common thought tells us that a marriage begins when the vows are said, but does it really? What would happen if you began relating to each other as married once you knew for certain God wanted the two of you to be a couple. This could begin as early as the moment the engagement is announced, if not before. What I am referring to is how you talk and respond to each other, not in a sexual sense.
If you were to begin at this point of knowing you were meant for each other, you would have a better chance to evaluate how you function as a couple in God’s eyes as well as others. After all, isn’t the beginning of a great marriage when your hearts become as one before the vows are said. When that first blossom of love begins to grow toward maturity?
Begin by relating verbally to one another as if you were married. Take the time to also listen to each other so you know what your lover is feeling at the moment. If you don’t take the time to listen to them, how will you know their true needs?
Observe and ask questions as you grow in your relationship about how and why your mate reacts in various situations. If you don’t know why they reacted in a given manner, sit down with them and discuss the situation you are curious about.
Nurture the love you have begun together and ask for God’s wisdom in your relationship. That is the beginning of a truly great relationship, when God is at its center. Take time to talk and listen to each other’s ideas on spiritual and other areas of interest. What relational habits you begin at this point will greatly benefit your marriage at a future date. Remember the admonition from Proverbs 3:6 “Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.”(NLT) He will not only direct your paths as individuals but as a couple also. Let the light of your love for each other be a beacon to the world around you.
Too often, discussions about attitudes and other important information about the individuals getting married are left unsaid until a crisis arises. Then, you may find out too late the way a person reacts in a given situation is not to your liking. As an alternative, I would like to suggest a new way of thinking about the beginning of a marriage.
Common thought tells us that a marriage begins when the vows are said, but does it really? What would happen if you began relating to each other as married once you knew for certain God wanted the two of you to be a couple. This could begin as early as the moment the engagement is announced, if not before. What I am referring to is how you talk and respond to each other, not in a sexual sense.
If you were to begin at this point of knowing you were meant for each other, you would have a better chance to evaluate how you function as a couple in God’s eyes as well as others. After all, isn’t the beginning of a great marriage when your hearts become as one before the vows are said. When that first blossom of love begins to grow toward maturity?
Begin by relating verbally to one another as if you were married. Take the time to also listen to each other so you know what your lover is feeling at the moment. If you don’t take the time to listen to them, how will you know their true needs?
Observe and ask questions as you grow in your relationship about how and why your mate reacts in various situations. If you don’t know why they reacted in a given manner, sit down with them and discuss the situation you are curious about.
Nurture the love you have begun together and ask for God’s wisdom in your relationship. That is the beginning of a truly great relationship, when God is at its center. Take time to talk and listen to each other’s ideas on spiritual and other areas of interest. What relational habits you begin at this point will greatly benefit your marriage at a future date. Remember the admonition from Proverbs 3:6 “Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.”(NLT) He will not only direct your paths as individuals but as a couple also. Let the light of your love for each other be a beacon to the world around you.
The Worship Test
by Dan Langerock
Have you ever thought about the concept of worship? Man instinctively worships something whether self, an object, a person, work or whatever. But today let us consider the worship of God and how we approach Him. Here are some questions to help you to realize the way you are worshipping God compared to how you should:
1) Does it awe you to think that you are in the presence of the Creator of the universe when you worship? Have you taken this aspect of worship for granted? Sometimes it is easy to fall into the trap of ho-hum when we go to church, and we forget why we are there and whom we are worshipping. We need to examine our motives for why we go to church in the first place, to worship God who loves us dearly—all other reasons for being there are trivial compared to this one.
2) If you go to church, do you look forward to it with anticipation? Do you resent this interruption to your busy schedule? Perhaps even dread going at all? Would you rather be somewhere else instead? Do you think about the game you are missing, your house that needs cleaning, the fishing you would like to be doing? Our time and thought-life are two things we can also offer to God.
3) Are you consistent in your worship? Do you believe it is a vital part of your life? Do you honor this portion of your life enough to prevent distraction from keeping you from it such as people coming to visit you when you are preparing to leave for church, phone calls at the last minute that could wait for another time, etc. Is it the most important thing in your life to be there consistently without fail, not in a legalistic sense but because you love God and want to be with others who also love Him?
4) Do you have personal worship times outside of church? Are you consistent in these, or is it okay to skip whenever you want? Is God and His worship the most important item in your life? If not, what else is more important? God wants to be your number one priority but you have to make the choice that makes that happen.
5) If you pray, what is the content of these prayers? Complaining about what is happening in your life? Magnifying God for who He is? Asking for God’s will to be done in your life? Asking for needs you have, solely, without praise for God who has supplied your needs?
6) Do you act one way on Sunday and another way the rest of the week? Is worship and what you believe part of your lifestyle? If you want your life to be a good witness to others, you must be consistent in this area.
7) After a church service, how do you conduct yourself? Are you considerate of others in the parking lot? Do you talk about what happened in the service, your blessings, etc.? Do you talk about the latest sports scores? Your topics of conversation say a lot about you and where your priorities are. It is said that Oral Roberts always went off by himself after a service to meditate on what was said and maintain that worship awe he had acquired during the church time. He didn't indulge in talking about the game on TV but concentrated on what he had learned from where he had just been.
8) When you need help in your life, is God and godly counsel your first resource or your last? Do you have people you can turn to who are good examples of godly character, someone you can look up to and ask for help when that need arises? Is the person you confide in consistent in their spiritual life? Do they practice what they say? What you believe is often evidenced by whom you consult when trouble comes.
9) Do you take time to be quiet before the Lord prior to the service? It is important to quiet yourself outwardly and inwardly before worship so you can receive what God has for you. Otherwise it is like static interference when you are trying to listen to the radio or television—the message doesn’t always get through.
This is the time the Lord speaks to my heart about what He wants me to write. My best poems and articles come from this quiet time before the Lord prior to the service.
10) How do you conduct yourself at church? Do you reverence where you are or do you act like you do anywhere else? Do you respect God and others by your conduct at church? You can learn a lot about a person when you watch how this plays out in this setting.
Who is God to you? Is He worthy of your praise? Is He your top priority in life? Does God care about you? Do you care about God? Is worshipping with others of like faith important to you? These are questions we must answer for ourselves. However, the answers we derive will help to tell us about ourselves, and what is really important to us. Hopefully, they will be the right answers.
Have you ever thought about the concept of worship? Man instinctively worships something whether self, an object, a person, work or whatever. But today let us consider the worship of God and how we approach Him. Here are some questions to help you to realize the way you are worshipping God compared to how you should:
1) Does it awe you to think that you are in the presence of the Creator of the universe when you worship? Have you taken this aspect of worship for granted? Sometimes it is easy to fall into the trap of ho-hum when we go to church, and we forget why we are there and whom we are worshipping. We need to examine our motives for why we go to church in the first place, to worship God who loves us dearly—all other reasons for being there are trivial compared to this one.
2) If you go to church, do you look forward to it with anticipation? Do you resent this interruption to your busy schedule? Perhaps even dread going at all? Would you rather be somewhere else instead? Do you think about the game you are missing, your house that needs cleaning, the fishing you would like to be doing? Our time and thought-life are two things we can also offer to God.
3) Are you consistent in your worship? Do you believe it is a vital part of your life? Do you honor this portion of your life enough to prevent distraction from keeping you from it such as people coming to visit you when you are preparing to leave for church, phone calls at the last minute that could wait for another time, etc. Is it the most important thing in your life to be there consistently without fail, not in a legalistic sense but because you love God and want to be with others who also love Him?
4) Do you have personal worship times outside of church? Are you consistent in these, or is it okay to skip whenever you want? Is God and His worship the most important item in your life? If not, what else is more important? God wants to be your number one priority but you have to make the choice that makes that happen.
5) If you pray, what is the content of these prayers? Complaining about what is happening in your life? Magnifying God for who He is? Asking for God’s will to be done in your life? Asking for needs you have, solely, without praise for God who has supplied your needs?
6) Do you act one way on Sunday and another way the rest of the week? Is worship and what you believe part of your lifestyle? If you want your life to be a good witness to others, you must be consistent in this area.
7) After a church service, how do you conduct yourself? Are you considerate of others in the parking lot? Do you talk about what happened in the service, your blessings, etc.? Do you talk about the latest sports scores? Your topics of conversation say a lot about you and where your priorities are. It is said that Oral Roberts always went off by himself after a service to meditate on what was said and maintain that worship awe he had acquired during the church time. He didn't indulge in talking about the game on TV but concentrated on what he had learned from where he had just been.
8) When you need help in your life, is God and godly counsel your first resource or your last? Do you have people you can turn to who are good examples of godly character, someone you can look up to and ask for help when that need arises? Is the person you confide in consistent in their spiritual life? Do they practice what they say? What you believe is often evidenced by whom you consult when trouble comes.
9) Do you take time to be quiet before the Lord prior to the service? It is important to quiet yourself outwardly and inwardly before worship so you can receive what God has for you. Otherwise it is like static interference when you are trying to listen to the radio or television—the message doesn’t always get through.
This is the time the Lord speaks to my heart about what He wants me to write. My best poems and articles come from this quiet time before the Lord prior to the service.
10) How do you conduct yourself at church? Do you reverence where you are or do you act like you do anywhere else? Do you respect God and others by your conduct at church? You can learn a lot about a person when you watch how this plays out in this setting.
Who is God to you? Is He worthy of your praise? Is He your top priority in life? Does God care about you? Do you care about God? Is worshipping with others of like faith important to you? These are questions we must answer for ourselves. However, the answers we derive will help to tell us about ourselves, and what is really important to us. Hopefully, they will be the right answers.
Quietude
by Dan Langerock
Quiet my heart before you.
Give me your awesome peace.
So that in this stillness
I may hear when you speak.
Quiet my heart before you.
Give me your awesome peace.
So that in this stillness
I may hear when you speak.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Grandma Gave a Present
by Dan Langerock
Grandma gave a present
To our little girl, one day.
A loving heart of purest gold
That time can't take away.
Grandma gave a present,
One to keep and cherish
The gift of memories
That won't break or perish.
Unlike toys forgotten
Upon a dusty shelf,
Grandma gave the very best
Because she gave herself.
Grandma gave a present
To our little girl, one day.
A loving heart of purest gold
That time can't take away.
Grandma gave a present,
One to keep and cherish
The gift of memories
That won't break or perish.
Unlike toys forgotten
Upon a dusty shelf,
Grandma gave the very best
Because she gave herself.
A Pastor's Advice to Our New President
by Dan Langerock
The Lord showed me today that being a president is like being a Christian. A president and a Christian can both talk a lot but what really matters is what they do.
For a president, any president, it is certainly important for him to communicate his thoughts to the nation. But what really matters is what he does. Without the doing, the talking doesn't mean much.
The same is true of a Chrisitan. We can witness to people all day long and tell them about God, but what really matters is how we act and live out our Christianity in our lifestyles. Without that doing part, our words are just hollow and virtually meaningless. This illustration applies to any president as well as any Christian.
1) You are the president of the United States. That is a grand title for sure. The most prestigious job in America. How will you lead us spiritually? In the Old Testament in the Bible, the spirituality of the king toward God determined whether that nation would be blessed or not. As our new president, will you lead us as a nation closer to God or further away? I pray it is the former rather than the latter.
2) You have a huge job on your shoulders, one I would not wish to have for myself. What kind of people will you have around you to give you counsel when you need it? Will they be Godly men and women or someone different? What you choose in this area will affect us all as a nation, not just you, Mr. President.
The same was true in Old Testament times as is true now. Our nation is depending on you to make the right choices in your Cabinet and others who counsel you. Are you a praying man? Will you ask God for the wisdom He has for you? It is so important to humble yourself in His sight because then He will lift you up and America as well.
3) The economy is on a downhill slide, but you know this already. The evidence is all around you. You have inherited a monumnetal job Mr. President. We, as Christians, are holding you up in prayer regardless of what color you are. That is our duty and privilege to support you in this way. The Bible tells us we must honor our government even though we don't always agree with its actions and policies.
The economy is just a symptom of the spiritual slide America has undergone in the past several decades. If you want to fix the economy and the other problems that face us, the spiritual side of America needs to be one of your top priorities.
Just as when we go to the doctor and tell him what is wrong with us, then he can prescribe what we need to become well. The same is true for us as a nation. The Bible shows us where we have strayed from the path of God. The symptoms are showing up in all the problems that we face together in this wonderful country called America.
As Christians, we hope you will lead us closer to God with your example and the decisions you make each day. We will not cease to pray for you, you can count on that. We are here to help you and encourage you in any way we can. Surround yourself with Godly people who will hold you up when you are weary from all the problems you must face.
Above all, remember that God is in control. He is sovereign in all things whether you believe this or not. That should be a humbling thought to you as you go about your daily schedule. Also, don't forget that He loves you so much Mr. President and is only a prayer away whenever you need Him. Turn your heart toward God and he will answer. May God bless you as you follow His ways, and in so doing all of America will be blessed. Amen
The Lord showed me today that being a president is like being a Christian. A president and a Christian can both talk a lot but what really matters is what they do.
For a president, any president, it is certainly important for him to communicate his thoughts to the nation. But what really matters is what he does. Without the doing, the talking doesn't mean much.
The same is true of a Chrisitan. We can witness to people all day long and tell them about God, but what really matters is how we act and live out our Christianity in our lifestyles. Without that doing part, our words are just hollow and virtually meaningless. This illustration applies to any president as well as any Christian.
1) You are the president of the United States. That is a grand title for sure. The most prestigious job in America. How will you lead us spiritually? In the Old Testament in the Bible, the spirituality of the king toward God determined whether that nation would be blessed or not. As our new president, will you lead us as a nation closer to God or further away? I pray it is the former rather than the latter.
2) You have a huge job on your shoulders, one I would not wish to have for myself. What kind of people will you have around you to give you counsel when you need it? Will they be Godly men and women or someone different? What you choose in this area will affect us all as a nation, not just you, Mr. President.
The same was true in Old Testament times as is true now. Our nation is depending on you to make the right choices in your Cabinet and others who counsel you. Are you a praying man? Will you ask God for the wisdom He has for you? It is so important to humble yourself in His sight because then He will lift you up and America as well.
3) The economy is on a downhill slide, but you know this already. The evidence is all around you. You have inherited a monumnetal job Mr. President. We, as Christians, are holding you up in prayer regardless of what color you are. That is our duty and privilege to support you in this way. The Bible tells us we must honor our government even though we don't always agree with its actions and policies.
The economy is just a symptom of the spiritual slide America has undergone in the past several decades. If you want to fix the economy and the other problems that face us, the spiritual side of America needs to be one of your top priorities.
Just as when we go to the doctor and tell him what is wrong with us, then he can prescribe what we need to become well. The same is true for us as a nation. The Bible shows us where we have strayed from the path of God. The symptoms are showing up in all the problems that we face together in this wonderful country called America.
As Christians, we hope you will lead us closer to God with your example and the decisions you make each day. We will not cease to pray for you, you can count on that. We are here to help you and encourage you in any way we can. Surround yourself with Godly people who will hold you up when you are weary from all the problems you must face.
Above all, remember that God is in control. He is sovereign in all things whether you believe this or not. That should be a humbling thought to you as you go about your daily schedule. Also, don't forget that He loves you so much Mr. President and is only a prayer away whenever you need Him. Turn your heart toward God and he will answer. May God bless you as you follow His ways, and in so doing all of America will be blessed. Amen
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Negative Side of Positive Thinking
The prevailing attitude in society today is that negatives in life are taboo. But, this mandate carries over into the arena of making decisions and other areas too. Let’s look at several areas to see how negatives and positives work together:
Medically
As a chaplain, I have encountered people who have never been sick in their lives until the moment they arrive in the hospital. They often became panicked and sometimes died because their body was not accustomed to the normal cycle of getting over a sickness. They had no prior experience to fall back on so, consequently, they thought they would not get better.
Illness of any kind is a negative, whether it is a stuffy nose or a major illness. We learn as we live that if we take care of ourselves, we will eventually get better again. Without this experience of the cycle of illness and recovery, the mind and body have nothing to relate to that they will get better.
Spiritually
When Jesus was here, He dealt with many negative situations: demon possession, death, lameness, epilepsy, blindness etc. He also had to deal with people like the Pharisees who were bound up in their religious traditions, failing to see and do what God wanted for them spiritually. These were all negatives, but they did not remain that way. He started with the negative situation and made it into a positive when the person was healed, thereby giving glory to God. Nicodemus, in John 3, stands out as one of the Pharisees who wanted to change, and Jesus helped bring this about in his life.
The subject of sin is a negative. Mankind decided to turn away from God and the result was an inherent sinful nature all of us have, whether we admit it or not. But God didn’t let us in that state. He sent Jesus to rescue us from our sin. Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” God took a negative situation and made it into a positive according to what choice you make spiritually.
There are those who resist the idea of there being only one way to God, but that is all we need. If you find yourself lost in the forest or anywhere else, you only need one way to get back to where you belong. If you get lost on the freeway and ask for directions, you only need one good set of directions to help you find your way to your destination.
Decision-making
There are those who cannot confront negatives in the decision-making process, so their outcome can be flawed because of this lack of objectivity. If a problem is brought to them, they cannot solve it because it is not positive enough. Problems certainly are negatives in our world but they don’t have to remain that way. As we work through them, they become positives as we solve them with God’s wisdom and help.
Let’s look at the subject of algebra. When you first begin learning this area of study, you start with all positives. But you are severely handicapped in solving the majority of algebra problems by just concentrating on the positive examples. Eventually you progress to using negatives and positives, enabling you to solve the problems set before you.
Yes, it is good to have a positive attitude in your life, but don’t exclude the negatives. Part of the reasons for negative situations is so that we can hopefully learn our lessons and not repeat the same mistakes. The other reason is to see whether we will turn to God for guidance and help rather than our own wisdom.
If you notice, a balance scale has two sides, we could say positive and negative. Without both sides operating together, there would be no balance. This is also true in our lives: all positives or all negatives don’t make for a good life. But when you balance the two, turning the negatives into positives and learning from past mistakes, you can have a good life with God’s help.
Medically
As a chaplain, I have encountered people who have never been sick in their lives until the moment they arrive in the hospital. They often became panicked and sometimes died because their body was not accustomed to the normal cycle of getting over a sickness. They had no prior experience to fall back on so, consequently, they thought they would not get better.
Illness of any kind is a negative, whether it is a stuffy nose or a major illness. We learn as we live that if we take care of ourselves, we will eventually get better again. Without this experience of the cycle of illness and recovery, the mind and body have nothing to relate to that they will get better.
Spiritually
When Jesus was here, He dealt with many negative situations: demon possession, death, lameness, epilepsy, blindness etc. He also had to deal with people like the Pharisees who were bound up in their religious traditions, failing to see and do what God wanted for them spiritually. These were all negatives, but they did not remain that way. He started with the negative situation and made it into a positive when the person was healed, thereby giving glory to God. Nicodemus, in John 3, stands out as one of the Pharisees who wanted to change, and Jesus helped bring this about in his life.
The subject of sin is a negative. Mankind decided to turn away from God and the result was an inherent sinful nature all of us have, whether we admit it or not. But God didn’t let us in that state. He sent Jesus to rescue us from our sin. Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” God took a negative situation and made it into a positive according to what choice you make spiritually.
There are those who resist the idea of there being only one way to God, but that is all we need. If you find yourself lost in the forest or anywhere else, you only need one way to get back to where you belong. If you get lost on the freeway and ask for directions, you only need one good set of directions to help you find your way to your destination.
Decision-making
There are those who cannot confront negatives in the decision-making process, so their outcome can be flawed because of this lack of objectivity. If a problem is brought to them, they cannot solve it because it is not positive enough. Problems certainly are negatives in our world but they don’t have to remain that way. As we work through them, they become positives as we solve them with God’s wisdom and help.
Let’s look at the subject of algebra. When you first begin learning this area of study, you start with all positives. But you are severely handicapped in solving the majority of algebra problems by just concentrating on the positive examples. Eventually you progress to using negatives and positives, enabling you to solve the problems set before you.
Yes, it is good to have a positive attitude in your life, but don’t exclude the negatives. Part of the reasons for negative situations is so that we can hopefully learn our lessons and not repeat the same mistakes. The other reason is to see whether we will turn to God for guidance and help rather than our own wisdom.
If you notice, a balance scale has two sides, we could say positive and negative. Without both sides operating together, there would be no balance. This is also true in our lives: all positives or all negatives don’t make for a good life. But when you balance the two, turning the negatives into positives and learning from past mistakes, you can have a good life with God’s help.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Chaplain Dan's Book Press Release
Book Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David – Man After God's Heart To Be Released By Author Dan Langerock
New Christian book series to offer in-depth Bible study
[San Jacinto, CA– January 5, 2009]- Dan Langerock announced today the release of the first in a series of Bible studies. 'David – Man After God's Heart', will be published by Living Waters Publishing in January 2009. The book is the first release in a series of Christian Bible studies.
The in-depth series is designed to help readers learn from the life of each biblical character studied, and will afford the opportunity for readers to apply those lessons in their own lives.
“I am very excited and pleased to be able to offer this series now,” stated Mr. Langerock, “as I believe that many people are searching for a Bible study series with depth. After David, there will be a study on Solomon as well as Abraham. There will then be a grief devotional, which will be followed by two poetry books.”
Mr. Langerock has been actively writing for over 45 years. From birth, his life was affected by blindness and epilepsy. As an adult, he was a hospital chaplain for 10 years. Mr. Langerock is currently working on an internship to become a pastor and specializes in grief ministry. His wife, Cathy, recently died after 33 years of marriage. However, he nonetheless considers himself to be blessed.
“It has been a hard adjustment, certainly,” stated Mr Langerock, “but God has provided the comfort I need, as has my daughter Carolyn. After Cathie’s death, four books were contracted in four days to Living Waters Publishing. There will be a total of six books coming out in 2009.”
“While the Bible studies out there now are very good, the ones I write are geared to help the reader maximize the lessons that can be derived from the scriptural character's life. 'David: Man After God’s Heart', helps readers apply what David went through in his life to their own lives.
Readers will be given the opportunity to study at least six characteristics of David, and will then have questions to help apply what has have learned. It is my hope that once people experience this new type of study it will help them grow closer to God. I believe the Holy Spirit gave me this to draw people closer to God; that is the ultimate aim. With so much uncertainty in the world, I believe we certainly need to be closer to God.”
Mr Langerock's books will be available from Living Waters Publishing, and from most Internet book outlets.
David – Man After God's Heart
Living Waters Publishing
www.livingwaterspc.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David – Man After God's Heart To Be Released By Author Dan Langerock
New Christian book series to offer in-depth Bible study
[San Jacinto, CA– January 5, 2009]- Dan Langerock announced today the release of the first in a series of Bible studies. 'David – Man After God's Heart', will be published by Living Waters Publishing in January 2009. The book is the first release in a series of Christian Bible studies.
The in-depth series is designed to help readers learn from the life of each biblical character studied, and will afford the opportunity for readers to apply those lessons in their own lives.
“I am very excited and pleased to be able to offer this series now,” stated Mr. Langerock, “as I believe that many people are searching for a Bible study series with depth. After David, there will be a study on Solomon as well as Abraham. There will then be a grief devotional, which will be followed by two poetry books.”
Mr. Langerock has been actively writing for over 45 years. From birth, his life was affected by blindness and epilepsy. As an adult, he was a hospital chaplain for 10 years. Mr. Langerock is currently working on an internship to become a pastor and specializes in grief ministry. His wife, Cathy, recently died after 33 years of marriage. However, he nonetheless considers himself to be blessed.
“It has been a hard adjustment, certainly,” stated Mr Langerock, “but God has provided the comfort I need, as has my daughter Carolyn. After Cathie’s death, four books were contracted in four days to Living Waters Publishing. There will be a total of six books coming out in 2009.”
“While the Bible studies out there now are very good, the ones I write are geared to help the reader maximize the lessons that can be derived from the scriptural character's life. 'David: Man After God’s Heart', helps readers apply what David went through in his life to their own lives.
Readers will be given the opportunity to study at least six characteristics of David, and will then have questions to help apply what has have learned. It is my hope that once people experience this new type of study it will help them grow closer to God. I believe the Holy Spirit gave me this to draw people closer to God; that is the ultimate aim. With so much uncertainty in the world, I believe we certainly need to be closer to God.”
Mr Langerock's books will be available from Living Waters Publishing, and from most Internet book outlets.
David – Man After God's Heart
Living Waters Publishing
www.livingwaterspc.com
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Don't Be Embarrassed by Your Grieving
Don't feel embarrassed by your grieving
by Dan Langerock
Grieving is something foreign to us as humans. It feels uncomfortable because we are not used to its emotions, and the things it makes us feel and do. But grief is a normal part of what we feel. Even though it is uncomfortable to go through it, grief is a way we say goodbye to the ones we have loved. How would it be if we were just the opposite and said, "Oh well, it was nice knowing you!" and walked away when someone we loved died, and never shed a tear or felt sad at their passing?
There are around a dozen steps in the grieving process, and we all go through them in a different way, and perhaps out-of-order. You cannot expect yourself or someone else to turn their grief on and off like a light switch, because each of us is different, and we feel things in diverse ways. Therefore, the way you or I go through the grieving process is unique and cannot be dictated by a set of hard-and-fast rules of conduct.
It is absolutely normal to miss someone and to display emotions because of their death. Just as it is normal to be happy when a child is born, it is just as normal to be sad at a person's demise.
Don't disdain someone for how they are displaying their grief, encourage them to let their feelings out. Be supportive, and look for opportunities to help them in their grieving process. Encourage them to talk about how they felt about the person, how they met, or just sit with them in silence for awhile and show you love them with your presence. Don't feel you have to keep the conversation going because there is value in silence also.
Use wisdom in how you respond to them. James 1:5 tells us, "If you need wisdom----if you want to know what God wants you to do----ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking."(NLT) Remember, they are under a lot of stress now, and will probably respond differently than normal. Make allowances, and look for ways you can help them both emotionally and in the physical sense, perhaps by preparing a meal, going shopping for them or whatever is an apparent need.
Show your compassion for this person in their time of need as you would want to be helped under similar circumstances. Be supportive but not overbearing! Sensitivity to their needs, whatever they are, is the key to being a valued and welcome companion during this period of intense emotion. Ask God to help you see the needs behind their words and actions. Proverbs 17:17 states, "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (KJV)
by Dan Langerock
Grieving is something foreign to us as humans. It feels uncomfortable because we are not used to its emotions, and the things it makes us feel and do. But grief is a normal part of what we feel. Even though it is uncomfortable to go through it, grief is a way we say goodbye to the ones we have loved. How would it be if we were just the opposite and said, "Oh well, it was nice knowing you!" and walked away when someone we loved died, and never shed a tear or felt sad at their passing?
There are around a dozen steps in the grieving process, and we all go through them in a different way, and perhaps out-of-order. You cannot expect yourself or someone else to turn their grief on and off like a light switch, because each of us is different, and we feel things in diverse ways. Therefore, the way you or I go through the grieving process is unique and cannot be dictated by a set of hard-and-fast rules of conduct.
It is absolutely normal to miss someone and to display emotions because of their death. Just as it is normal to be happy when a child is born, it is just as normal to be sad at a person's demise.
Don't disdain someone for how they are displaying their grief, encourage them to let their feelings out. Be supportive, and look for opportunities to help them in their grieving process. Encourage them to talk about how they felt about the person, how they met, or just sit with them in silence for awhile and show you love them with your presence. Don't feel you have to keep the conversation going because there is value in silence also.
Use wisdom in how you respond to them. James 1:5 tells us, "If you need wisdom----if you want to know what God wants you to do----ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking."(NLT) Remember, they are under a lot of stress now, and will probably respond differently than normal. Make allowances, and look for ways you can help them both emotionally and in the physical sense, perhaps by preparing a meal, going shopping for them or whatever is an apparent need.
Show your compassion for this person in their time of need as you would want to be helped under similar circumstances. Be supportive but not overbearing! Sensitivity to their needs, whatever they are, is the key to being a valued and welcome companion during this period of intense emotion. Ask God to help you see the needs behind their words and actions. Proverbs 17:17 states, "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (KJV)
In His Hands
In His Hands
by Dan Langerock
In His hands He molds the future.
In His hands He holds the seas.
He is all-wise-and-powerful
To guide the lives of you and me.
In His hands all times and seasons--
Future, past, and present too.
He is there with matchless power
When we don’t know what to do.
In His hands He shapes each moment;
Nothing can surprise His Will.
Even when we are faithless,
He is there and faithful still.
In His hands our cares and troubles,
Sickness, pain, when we’re depressed.
If we trust Him through each trial
In His hands can be our rest.
by Dan Langerock
In His hands He molds the future.
In His hands He holds the seas.
He is all-wise-and-powerful
To guide the lives of you and me.
In His hands all times and seasons--
Future, past, and present too.
He is there with matchless power
When we don’t know what to do.
In His hands He shapes each moment;
Nothing can surprise His Will.
Even when we are faithless,
He is there and faithful still.
In His hands our cares and troubles,
Sickness, pain, when we’re depressed.
If we trust Him through each trial
In His hands can be our rest.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Observations of God's Loving Care
Observations of God’s Loving Care
By Dan Langerock
Imagine a baby being born in the 1950’s with a birth weight of only 3 lbs. 7 ounces. That was me! According to the doctors, I wasn’t supposed to live. God had another idea.
Due to my small size I was in an incubator which affected my eyes through most of grade school. By second grade, I had to go to a school where they could deal with my worsening sight. This is where I learned to type with a large chart on the wall, and blanks on the keys. This special class helped me take tests and assisted me with anything I couldn’t handle in my regular classes.
During the time I was losing my sight, I was privileged to be a part of the Foundation for the Junior Blind. They took us to various events like The Hollywood Bowl, Cinerama, baseball games, and also had a camp in the summertime for us. The Lions Club drove us wherever we needed to go which was a blessing.
My mom, seeing me getting progressively worse vision, decided to show me all the beautiful things around me so that I would have a memory of them if I should completely lose my sight. Thankfully, my loss of sight never went to that limit.
After several eye surgeries into my early teens, I was able to see fairly well, although my right eye was always worse than the left. The right eye is blind now due to a retina detachment.
To add to the trial of what I was already going through, I also had epilepsy from an early age which plagued me until later in my life. At the present time, I have been seizure-free for over twenty years. Praise the Lord.
Unfortunately, due to these two strikes against me, I was never able to have normal dating relationships. I was mostly a loner who was very lonely. One day, during my second year of college I was so lonely and depressed I just sat on a bench and cried. God saw those tears because three months later I met my future wife, Cathie, in one of my speech classes. We have been married 33 years and are blessed with one married daughter. The Lord is good!
By Dan Langerock
Imagine a baby being born in the 1950’s with a birth weight of only 3 lbs. 7 ounces. That was me! According to the doctors, I wasn’t supposed to live. God had another idea.
Due to my small size I was in an incubator which affected my eyes through most of grade school. By second grade, I had to go to a school where they could deal with my worsening sight. This is where I learned to type with a large chart on the wall, and blanks on the keys. This special class helped me take tests and assisted me with anything I couldn’t handle in my regular classes.
During the time I was losing my sight, I was privileged to be a part of the Foundation for the Junior Blind. They took us to various events like The Hollywood Bowl, Cinerama, baseball games, and also had a camp in the summertime for us. The Lions Club drove us wherever we needed to go which was a blessing.
My mom, seeing me getting progressively worse vision, decided to show me all the beautiful things around me so that I would have a memory of them if I should completely lose my sight. Thankfully, my loss of sight never went to that limit.
After several eye surgeries into my early teens, I was able to see fairly well, although my right eye was always worse than the left. The right eye is blind now due to a retina detachment.
To add to the trial of what I was already going through, I also had epilepsy from an early age which plagued me until later in my life. At the present time, I have been seizure-free for over twenty years. Praise the Lord.
Unfortunately, due to these two strikes against me, I was never able to have normal dating relationships. I was mostly a loner who was very lonely. One day, during my second year of college I was so lonely and depressed I just sat on a bench and cried. God saw those tears because three months later I met my future wife, Cathie, in one of my speech classes. We have been married 33 years and are blessed with one married daughter. The Lord is good!
Four Roadblocks that Keep You from Growing as a Christian
Four Roadblocks That Keep You from Growing as a Christian
Introduction
A traffic detour
Pride
The “I’m Okay” Attitude
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but he who is of a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Prov. 29:23
One of the seven things that God hates: “A proud look, the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others.” Proverbs 6:17a
Refusing Wise Counsel
The “I Don’t Want to Change” Attitude
“Hear my sons, the instruction of a father, and give ttention to gain and to know intelligent discernment, comprehension and interpretation of spiritual matters. For I give good doctrine----what is to be received; do not forsake my teaching.” Proverbs 4:1-2 to v. 13
Do you want to be healed?
.”
There’s No Hope
John 5:1-9 The pool of Bethesda:
(Joh 5:1) Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.
(Joh 5:2) Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.
(Joh 5:3) Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches [waiting for a certain movement of the water,]
(Joh 5:4) [for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and stirred up the water. And the first person to step in after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease he had.]
(Joh 5:5) One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.
(Joh 5:6) When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, "Would you like to get well?"
(Joh 5:7) "I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."
(Joh 5:8) Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"
(Joh 5:9) Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
Where God is, there is always hope. It is we who lose hope in God and His power. God knows what He can do when we have faith to believe it. Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts
Something in the way?
Let the Holy Spirit show you if something in your life is keeping you from God’s best for you, whether it is healing or something else. Don’t have a condemning attitude toward yourself but humbly and prayerfully ask God to show you if something in your life is blocking your growth in Him. You may have a dream to do something for God. God knows those dreams of your heart and He will bring them to pass in His time. Psalm 37:4 states: “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.”
Rebellion
A Dangerous Place to Be
(1Sa 15:23a) Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idol.”
How is rebellion shown?:
Posture
Attitude
How we act
What we say
The thoughts of our heart
The way we dress
God knows how to reward us when we are obedient and have the right attitude toward Him and our fellow human beings.
Think about the attitudes of your heart and ponder them before God. Have you seen any of the attitudes we have talked about in your life? God doesn’t want roadblocks between you and Hm.
Only you can make what is wrong right in your life by opening your heart to God and what He has for you. You have a choice to keep the attitudes you have or let God do a makeover in your life. God has wisdom and healing and so much more for your life and gives it freely. He loves you. Will you respond to that love and allow God to take down the roadblocks in your life?
Introduction
A traffic detour
Pride
The “I’m Okay” Attitude
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but he who is of a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Prov. 29:23
One of the seven things that God hates: “A proud look, the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others.” Proverbs 6:17a
Refusing Wise Counsel
The “I Don’t Want to Change” Attitude
“Hear my sons, the instruction of a father, and give ttention to gain and to know intelligent discernment, comprehension and interpretation of spiritual matters. For I give good doctrine----what is to be received; do not forsake my teaching.” Proverbs 4:1-2 to v. 13
Do you want to be healed?
.”
There’s No Hope
John 5:1-9 The pool of Bethesda:
(Joh 5:1) Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.
(Joh 5:2) Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.
(Joh 5:3) Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches [waiting for a certain movement of the water,]
(Joh 5:4) [for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and stirred up the water. And the first person to step in after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease he had.]
(Joh 5:5) One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.
(Joh 5:6) When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, "Would you like to get well?"
(Joh 5:7) "I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."
(Joh 5:8) Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"
(Joh 5:9) Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
Where God is, there is always hope. It is we who lose hope in God and His power. God knows what He can do when we have faith to believe it. Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts
Something in the way?
Let the Holy Spirit show you if something in your life is keeping you from God’s best for you, whether it is healing or something else. Don’t have a condemning attitude toward yourself but humbly and prayerfully ask God to show you if something in your life is blocking your growth in Him. You may have a dream to do something for God. God knows those dreams of your heart and He will bring them to pass in His time. Psalm 37:4 states: “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.”
Rebellion
A Dangerous Place to Be
(1Sa 15:23a) Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idol.”
How is rebellion shown?:
Posture
Attitude
How we act
What we say
The thoughts of our heart
The way we dress
God knows how to reward us when we are obedient and have the right attitude toward Him and our fellow human beings.
Think about the attitudes of your heart and ponder them before God. Have you seen any of the attitudes we have talked about in your life? God doesn’t want roadblocks between you and Hm.
Only you can make what is wrong right in your life by opening your heart to God and what He has for you. You have a choice to keep the attitudes you have or let God do a makeover in your life. God has wisdom and healing and so much more for your life and gives it freely. He loves you. Will you respond to that love and allow God to take down the roadblocks in your life?
Five Things God Wants You to Remember in 2009
Five Things God wants you to Remember in 2009
1. When you sin:
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
2. When you feel condemned:
Rom 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Rom 8:2 And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3. When you feel abandoned:
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Hebrews 13:5b I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.
4. When you don’t understand what is happening in your life:
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
5. God loves you and wants to be close to you this year.
Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Psa 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires.
Psa 37:5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you.
Dan Langerock is a former hospital chaplain. The Lord has blessed him with five books coming out in 2009. For more information contact www.livingwaterspc.com. God bless you this coming year.
1. When you sin:
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
2. When you feel condemned:
Rom 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Rom 8:2 And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3. When you feel abandoned:
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Hebrews 13:5b I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.
4. When you don’t understand what is happening in your life:
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
5. God loves you and wants to be close to you this year.
Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Psa 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires.
Psa 37:5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you.
Dan Langerock is a former hospital chaplain. The Lord has blessed him with five books coming out in 2009. For more information contact www.livingwaterspc.com. God bless you this coming year.
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