Masks

Today is Halloween! Children are getting excited about candy and what costume they will wear and parents are getting ready to brave the cold as they walk their children around to go trick-or-treating, or maybe the family is going to a harvest party. There are also those who will shut themselves away because a belief that Halloween is not a place for those who love Jesus.

Just a quick side note before we dive into our weekly devotional. This night that some avoid and others embrace will be full of your neighbors coming to your door giving you an opportunity to show a love and compassion that they may not see anywhere else. If we shut our doors and turn off our lights to boycott this evening are we missing an opportunity to show our world a truth that will change their forever?

Whether you choose to participate or not, this evening you will see people walking around with all kinds of masks. I was walking through Savers looking for a costume for my children and my son walks up to me with the craziest mask on. I remember asking myself, “Why in the world would anyone choose to wear a mask like that?” That is when the Lord began asking me questions about my own masks that I wear at times even on days when it is not a Holiday or costume party. There are times that I take my true self and feelings and hide it behind this false wall so people won’t be disappointed in me and in order to fulfill what it seems they are expecting. As I have gotten older, the Lord has challenged me to peel away these masks and for the most part I have learned how to be real in each situation that He has placed me in. Yet, even still there are times I am tempted to hide my feelings and thoughts instead of being honest with those around me. Why do we do this? What is in us that is so scared of being ourselves? Here are a few thoughts that might go through your mind that has kept you fearful of taking of the masks.

• If they only new who I really was!

• Nobody really cares to know the truth anyway!

• It won’t hurt anyone!

• Why disappoint?

• I don’t even like myself- How will they like me?

I am sure there are more thoughts that you can think of as to why you wear the masks that you do or are tempted to. Part of maturity in Christ is being able to take of the masks and stand in a crowded room simply being you. Here are some beginning steps that will help you peel away the false self and introduce to everyone who you really are. It might be scary to take these steps. Be brave and courageous! God did not create you to be hidden away.

1. Start by being honest with God.
This may be the hardest step of the journey, but it is the most important. The Lord already Loves you and has accepted you for who you are. As you wear these masks it breaks His heart because He has created you to be so much more brilliant and amazing than that mask you are wearing. I find that it is through worship that the Lord is able to strengthen and encourage who Kristopher is and who God has made me to be.

2. Then be honest with yourself
Look at what you are doing and how you are acting. Is this really you? Is this who God made you to be? It is always nice to think everyone in church really are as happy as they look on Sunday, but some of the loneliest people are sitting next to you on a Sunday morning. Take some time to dream and ask the Lord to show you how to be real. There maybe some that are reading this that have worn their mask for so long that they would not recognize themselves if the mask was taken off. Trust me! You can only begin growing in your walk with the Lord when you face the real you. Taking off the mask is step #1 in maturity.

3. Find one person that you love and trust and be honest with them
Choose wisely who this might be. If you do not have that type of friend then go to your pastor or a counselor. However, being honest in front of other people will allow you to feel better about yourself. Having integrity always will have a better result than lying. It may be difficult at first, but it will get easier. When I am struggling I go to my wife. She helps remind me that all I have to be is what God has made me to be.

4. Begin living this daily in front of others
There may be some of you who try to say that this is not a problem or it isn’t a temptation for those in the church. Even Peter, who was to be the rock that the church was built upon, dealt with this issue. As Jesus was being beaten, the Bible tells us that Peter was watching from the courtyard and three different people came and asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. Peter at that point pulled his mask on tighter and tighter and emphatically denied Christ. There is a cost to walking in this type of integrity, and yet I believe the cost of keeping our masks on is far greater and much more damaging.

Psalm 139
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

If this scripture is true and I believe it is! There is no reason to hide. Make a decision today to take off the mask and be who God created you to be. Whether you choose to take part in this Holiday or not, today is the day that the Lord has made and I encourage you to rejoice in it.

Joyful Attitudes?!?!?

“So how am I supposed to respond when you tell me something that I do not like? Do you want me to act like I am happy?” Noah Dahir

This was a conversation that spawned over some very important decisions that were made in the life of an 11 year old. It was late and we were coming home from football practice and I told him the week before that if he did good at his football game that I would buy him a large slurpy. (Yes, we do bribe our kids sometimes.) Like I said, it was late and I didn’t want him to get sick off of too much sugar. I told him that he could have a slurpy now, but it would have to be a medium or he can wait and we will get him a large one. All of a sudden he went from being my happy go lucky child and began turning into an 11 year old who did not get what he wanted. I told him that I did not like his attitude and then he asked me the profound question that began our devotional for the week.

You may ask, “What does this story have to do with you and I?” Think for a moment to the last time that you did not get what you wanted. Maybe it was a situation at home, at work, with a friend, or even a decision that it seems the God of this universe has made. The large slurpy represents how you think things should be or what you feel you deserve. It is crucial that we do understand that it does not mean that the large slurpy image is actually better. It simply represents what we think would make sense. The medium slurpy represents the door b and what could be the Lord’s plan from the beginning of time.

Here was my advice to my son and what I am trying to learn for my own life.
1. Don’t let an unwelcome answer or unmet expectation poison the possibilities that are available.

2. It is important to express your disappointment, but make sure it is the right time, right place, and to the right person

3. If you find yourself getting a bad attitude, fight it and be in control of your actions. You can never control what someone else says or does, but you can control yourself; or at least you should control yourself.

4. Trust that somehow, someway the Lord will fulfill all of His promises. Usually the worst will come out of us when we begin to think that we cannot trust the Lord with our personal needs and dreams.


In conclusion:

You can either look at your life and focus on all of the things you did not get, that have hurt you, or areas that were unfair, and let that set the tone for the day or situation you are about to face or you can learn from those things and decide to enjoy the good that is placed in front of you. I personally believe that even the simplest things can be turned to gold when touched with a heart that is joyful and knows how to trust in the Lord.

Romans 12:11-13
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

This devotional was used with permission of my son Noah. Thank you Noah for allowing us all to learn along side you. You are a wonderful young man and I love you very much. He did want you all to know that this story has been copy written and can not be used again without Noah Kristopher Dahir’s personal written permission.

Pleasing the Lord

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”- Psalm 19:14

This is my goal. To simply speak good wholesome and encouraging words, that the things that I ponder upon, put my brain juice and personal emotions towards, would please my Lord. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Did someone who affects your world wake up on the wrong side of the bed? This morning I was helping babysit my nephew and niece and watched how one of them wanted nothing more but to hang out and enjoy a day of toys. He had no regard for what happened yesterday, definitely was not thinking about tomorrow, and was just enjoying the moment he was in. That is until my niece decided to share some of her little grumpiness with her brother. It was funny because I sat here and watched her decide that if she was going to be a grump then for sure others should join her. I would like to say that this is a child-like behavior and that we grow out of these actions and habits; but we don’t. I might even be brave enough to say that our children learn some of these behaviors from us.

Whichever position you find yourself in today, our application to this weeks devotion is very simple- refocus on things that are pleasing to the Lord. He has taken care of the details of our day that bring life. All of the other sources we run to for hope will ultimately bring confusion.

Take the time to stop and write down the top ten things that bring joy to your heart and then thank the Lord for them.

Here are mine…

1. A secure place to find hope. Running to the Lord has always brought me back to my feet and gave me the strength longer than I thought possible.

2. My Melissa, I love waking up and having her in my arms.

3. Watching my oldest son take each step of life and becoming such a wonderful young man.

4. Standing with my son Noah as he dreams about his future with sports, friends, and life.

5. Being able to see and be with my family here in Reno. The kids are loud at times but we sure do love being around to see them grow.

6. Knowing that I have friends who pray for, believe in, and want the best for me and my family.

7. Being a part of helping other learn how to take steps towards the Lord and find the same hope and peace that I get to walk in.

8. I get to take my wife out tonight. Yay for dates!

9. Taking classes in school and doing well. It makes me feel like my life is moving forward to accomplish something that is bigger than myself.

10. Having a Guinness!