Tonight a wonderful thing happened. Truly wonderful. I realized today that I am truly blessed. For some reason, while I was realizing this tonight, a conversation popped up in my head that I imagine would have happened between God and me, had I been listening at first. These things are always scary and borderline blasphemous. I promise I will keep it on the up & up.
"Hey God?"
"Yes?"
"Look. I know that you have blessed me to receive a brand new lawn mower..."
"Well, the giver was blessed, and he passed a blessing on to you."
"I would really like to mow the lawn today, too."
"I know. You need to, I've seen it. Some of that grass is taller than your children."
"Yeah..."
"Go ahead. You can ask me."
"Lord, why is it raining?!? I can't mow in the rain!"
"I know you want to get out there. I really want you to. How about if I knock down the dust, and take the temperature down 15 degrees?"
"Oh! That's what the rain is for! OK- that's fabulous. High 70s is better than low 90s when mowing."
"I know."
"Well, thank you again! I'll get as much done as I can."
"You're welcome."
"You know, you're better to me than I realize sometimes."
"I know. That's what I do. How about a little breeze, too?"
"Wow. Thank you."
"Anytime. I mean it. Anytime. You want to talk to me, I'm here."
"I should really talk to you more."
"I know."
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Maybe I'm a little punchy
It happens anytime I read. I get so sleepy! I can not explain it, it is a phenomenon. I was reading the Bible tonight, in the book of Mark, and I just started cracking up! I'm talking cackling, looking at Cake Wrecks laughing! So what was I reading?
"32 They brought to Him a deaf man who also had a speech difficulty, and begged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 33 So He took him away from the crowd privately. After putting His fingers in the man's ears and spitting, He touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). 35 Immediately his ears were opened, his speech difficulty was removed, and he began to speak clearly." -from Mark 7, HCSB
I just got the mental picture of Jesus sticking His fingers in this guy's ears and spitting. It didn't say where He spat, but He spat. It didn't even say why He spat, because all He really had to do was say the word. It doesn't say why He touched the man;s tongue. What a picture! What a riot!
It just serves as a reminder to me that God does not always work in the way that we would expect. He may have a whole new way to do it. As it says, His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. The answer may come in an unusual fashion, but wait- the answer will come. If He needs to stick His fingers in your ears and touch your tongue, be willing to say aaahh.
"32 They brought to Him a deaf man who also had a speech difficulty, and begged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 33 So He took him away from the crowd privately. After putting His fingers in the man's ears and spitting, He touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). 35 Immediately his ears were opened, his speech difficulty was removed, and he began to speak clearly." -from Mark 7, HCSB
I just got the mental picture of Jesus sticking His fingers in this guy's ears and spitting. It didn't say where He spat, but He spat. It didn't even say why He spat, because all He really had to do was say the word. It doesn't say why He touched the man;s tongue. What a picture! What a riot!
It just serves as a reminder to me that God does not always work in the way that we would expect. He may have a whole new way to do it. As it says, His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. The answer may come in an unusual fashion, but wait- the answer will come. If He needs to stick His fingers in your ears and touch your tongue, be willing to say aaahh.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
How Can I Miss you When You Haven't Gone Away?
I am going to get in trouble here. What I SHOULD be doing is working on one of two papers, both due by Thursday morning. At the time of this writing, it is Tuesday evening. Well, like everyone says, I work best under pressure.
What is on my mind tonight is something that has been on my mind since Sunday morning, when my wife and I were listening to Beth Moore on CD on the way to church. I have realized that if you don't go with these urgings, it is hard to reclaim them once they're gone, you miss a blessing, and others that need the message placed in you suffer. So here it goes: I don't remember exactly why she was saying this, but she brought up Colossians 1:27 (NASB)- "to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." She was talking about the Holy Spirit being the Spirit of Christ, and how when we accept Christ, that Spirit instantly comes in to us. Now Pentecostals, AoG people, let's not get theological here. Let's just go on for this premise: we are filled with the Spirit of Christ.
How then do we ask where is God in a situation? How do we ask why it seems that God is not there? We say we believe in an omnipresent, omnipotent God, and say he is absent. Folks, if you are a saved, committed follower of Christ, and you don't know where He is in the situation you are facing, may I ask you to look in? Then, may I ask you to look around. Re-read Psalm 139: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7, NASB) For the follower of Christ, you that have His Spirit living in you, you bring Him with you into your situation. Do not ask where He is. Ask Him where this is taking you!
The biggest problem is that we do not talk to God enough in the everyday, and hear His voice in the mundane, to know what He sounds like in the times of urgency. When trouble comes our way, we do not know where to turn but to Him. He guides us through, we say "Whew! That was close!" Maybe we thank Him, and we go on. I'm guilty, too. I do not always recognize Him in the everyday. But we all need to know that He is there. He is with us. We do not need to ask Him where He is. We just need to recognize Him.
What is on my mind tonight is something that has been on my mind since Sunday morning, when my wife and I were listening to Beth Moore on CD on the way to church. I have realized that if you don't go with these urgings, it is hard to reclaim them once they're gone, you miss a blessing, and others that need the message placed in you suffer. So here it goes: I don't remember exactly why she was saying this, but she brought up Colossians 1:27 (NASB)- "to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." She was talking about the Holy Spirit being the Spirit of Christ, and how when we accept Christ, that Spirit instantly comes in to us. Now Pentecostals, AoG people, let's not get theological here. Let's just go on for this premise: we are filled with the Spirit of Christ.
How then do we ask where is God in a situation? How do we ask why it seems that God is not there? We say we believe in an omnipresent, omnipotent God, and say he is absent. Folks, if you are a saved, committed follower of Christ, and you don't know where He is in the situation you are facing, may I ask you to look in? Then, may I ask you to look around. Re-read Psalm 139: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7, NASB) For the follower of Christ, you that have His Spirit living in you, you bring Him with you into your situation. Do not ask where He is. Ask Him where this is taking you!
The biggest problem is that we do not talk to God enough in the everyday, and hear His voice in the mundane, to know what He sounds like in the times of urgency. When trouble comes our way, we do not know where to turn but to Him. He guides us through, we say "Whew! That was close!" Maybe we thank Him, and we go on. I'm guilty, too. I do not always recognize Him in the everyday. But we all need to know that He is there. He is with us. We do not need to ask Him where He is. We just need to recognize Him.
Friday, May 21, 2010
My One (HA!) Major Flaw
We now present some breaking news from me, because I am the only one that can report it: I am not perfect. This will come to a shock to any of you that know me, I know. I must report to any and all that read this that have once again reacted to a situation before I thought or prayed about my reaction.
The situation is this: I have a family member that is, in many ways, quite like me. This is the primary reason we have rarely ever gotten along. Part if this similarity is our passive-aggressive nature. I can and will hold things in and make flippant remarks after the fact that will cut like a knife. God has been dealing with me in this area of my like, and I like to think I have been better. Yet after this family member posted a Facebook status, I was furious. I was not directly mentioned, but I know it was all about me and my family.
So that you will not totally judge me, I did not comment to the post or post on this person's wall. I sent a private message instead. I did it impulsively, without hesitation. I reacted before I thought.
I guess I could feel good about this character flaw: it makes me more like the apostle Peter. Peter had to be rebuked by Jesus once, admonished another time, and rebutted by God the father on the mount of Transfiguration. Hey, look! I'm like Peter! That must make me a better person!
No, it just makes me flawed, imperfect, and a work in progress. Look at Peter after the denial of Christ. He became a bold preacher, the leader of the early church, the one that took the Gospel to the gentiles, and the subject of many jokes about Heaven.
This is because God worked on him throughout his life. He did not give up on Peter, has not given up on me, and the same is true for you. Likewise, we should not give up on each other. James 1:19 tells us to be a fast listener, slow to speak and to get angry. Even the deepest hurt gives us the chance to show grace to even the least deserving.
So hold on. Give it a moment before you react. When you (I) do, the grace of God shines through our life. When that happens, everyone benefits, and He gets glory.
The situation is this: I have a family member that is, in many ways, quite like me. This is the primary reason we have rarely ever gotten along. Part if this similarity is our passive-aggressive nature. I can and will hold things in and make flippant remarks after the fact that will cut like a knife. God has been dealing with me in this area of my like, and I like to think I have been better. Yet after this family member posted a Facebook status, I was furious. I was not directly mentioned, but I know it was all about me and my family.
So that you will not totally judge me, I did not comment to the post or post on this person's wall. I sent a private message instead. I did it impulsively, without hesitation. I reacted before I thought.
I guess I could feel good about this character flaw: it makes me more like the apostle Peter. Peter had to be rebuked by Jesus once, admonished another time, and rebutted by God the father on the mount of Transfiguration. Hey, look! I'm like Peter! That must make me a better person!
No, it just makes me flawed, imperfect, and a work in progress. Look at Peter after the denial of Christ. He became a bold preacher, the leader of the early church, the one that took the Gospel to the gentiles, and the subject of many jokes about Heaven.
This is because God worked on him throughout his life. He did not give up on Peter, has not given up on me, and the same is true for you. Likewise, we should not give up on each other. James 1:19 tells us to be a fast listener, slow to speak and to get angry. Even the deepest hurt gives us the chance to show grace to even the least deserving.
So hold on. Give it a moment before you react. When you (I) do, the grace of God shines through our life. When that happens, everyone benefits, and He gets glory.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I need to get past this point
On Wednesday of this week I experienced the most depressing time of my life. With my health insurance on the verge of expiration, I went to the county department of Social Services. I do this with a heavy heart and conscience, because I do not believe in any of this stuff. I do not believe that it is the government's place to take care of the people, it is the place of the community and the church. Yet there I sat, humbled. I do not want to come for the help. However, I do this for my children. I want them to be taken care of.
Whar was so humbling about it? Why was it so depressing? Well, we never look at ourselves as one of those people. Come on. You know what I'm talking about. You look down on them because of their clothes, their appearance, mannerisms, the way they speak, etc. Here I was in waiting rooms and in lines with them. I became one of them, and I was humbled. It did not help that the only magazines in the waiting room were travel and financial magazines- the least of anyone's concerns sitting in that office.
I have been told not to feel bad about asking for the help. I have paid taxes into that system for it to be there for me in a time of need. Perhaps I never thought I would have the need. Perhaps I am too proud to beg. Perhaps I have this deep down feeling that I do not want to be a bother to anyone. Whatever the case, there I was. I feel like I am at a new low in life.
I was actually looking for another verse, but I found Philippians 2:3 in the NLT: "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." It says many times that the humble shall be exalted, and the proud shall be humbled. Guess where I am right now?
Whar was so humbling about it? Why was it so depressing? Well, we never look at ourselves as one of those people. Come on. You know what I'm talking about. You look down on them because of their clothes, their appearance, mannerisms, the way they speak, etc. Here I was in waiting rooms and in lines with them. I became one of them, and I was humbled. It did not help that the only magazines in the waiting room were travel and financial magazines- the least of anyone's concerns sitting in that office.
I have been told not to feel bad about asking for the help. I have paid taxes into that system for it to be there for me in a time of need. Perhaps I never thought I would have the need. Perhaps I am too proud to beg. Perhaps I have this deep down feeling that I do not want to be a bother to anyone. Whatever the case, there I was. I feel like I am at a new low in life.
I was actually looking for another verse, but I found Philippians 2:3 in the NLT: "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." It says many times that the humble shall be exalted, and the proud shall be humbled. Guess where I am right now?
Sunday, May 16, 2010
How Not to Motivate the People
It has become increasingly clear to me that I am not the man I used to be. I can tell that by reviewing my blogs from the past year. I am a traditionalist that likes hymns, a person that is quiet in church, and one that is quite comfortable in my ways. Yet I am in a position of unemployment, not sure where I will work next, when I will work next, and now attending one of the fastest growing churches in America with some pretty loud music. I don't mind- the preaching is quite biblically sound.
So, with me out of my comfort zone, and without a job, what should I do? Should I worry or live my life in fear? Nope. It would be completely unproductive, and would not provide a paycheck for my family. I have thought about it. The idea has entered my head for some of the worst self-help books ever written. One would be "How to Grow Taller by Worrying," and the other would be "Living Your Life Based on What Everyone Thinks About you." Granted, these books may sell more copies than Nancy Pelosi's book did, but they would be equally worthless.
Jesus tackled worry more than once. He asked us how worrying could make us grow any taller, and reminded us how ravens eat, even though they don't do any work, and that the lilies of the field are more finely dressed than Solomon in his day.
The important thing is this: don't worry about your life. It won't help it get any better. Also, don't put any stock into what anyone thinks about you except God. Other people's opinions will only upset you. It will not affect how your family thinks of you, and will not affect who you are in Christ. So let them call you garbage, unhealthy, or whatever they want. You live your life. Trust God. Plug into His word. Then watch as your life flourishes. I'm not saying you'll get rich- I'm saying you'll be more content and enjoy what you have a little bit more.
So, with me out of my comfort zone, and without a job, what should I do? Should I worry or live my life in fear? Nope. It would be completely unproductive, and would not provide a paycheck for my family. I have thought about it. The idea has entered my head for some of the worst self-help books ever written. One would be "How to Grow Taller by Worrying," and the other would be "Living Your Life Based on What Everyone Thinks About you." Granted, these books may sell more copies than Nancy Pelosi's book did, but they would be equally worthless.
Jesus tackled worry more than once. He asked us how worrying could make us grow any taller, and reminded us how ravens eat, even though they don't do any work, and that the lilies of the field are more finely dressed than Solomon in his day.
The important thing is this: don't worry about your life. It won't help it get any better. Also, don't put any stock into what anyone thinks about you except God. Other people's opinions will only upset you. It will not affect how your family thinks of you, and will not affect who you are in Christ. So let them call you garbage, unhealthy, or whatever they want. You live your life. Trust God. Plug into His word. Then watch as your life flourishes. I'm not saying you'll get rich- I'm saying you'll be more content and enjoy what you have a little bit more.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
My Week In Review
Now that I am no longer employed officially, I stand in retrospect. I am reading and following along with a pastor from Charlotte online. While following along (and straying slightly), the Lord revealed this verse to me in my NLT Study Bible. It is 2 Samuel 14:14: "All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him."
In other words, God, you have my attention. You have had it for several weeks now. Psalm 3:3 says that you are a shield around me, and that you are my glory. and you lift up my head. I lay down my pride. I do not want to do or be apart from you. I let it all go, and I am humbled in your presence. I realized this humility yesterday, and I will walk humble before you. What you have in store for me, I am ready to experience it.
I know you are my provision, Lord. I trust you in the name of Jesus.
In other words, God, you have my attention. You have had it for several weeks now. Psalm 3:3 says that you are a shield around me, and that you are my glory. and you lift up my head. I lay down my pride. I do not want to do or be apart from you. I let it all go, and I am humbled in your presence. I realized this humility yesterday, and I will walk humble before you. What you have in store for me, I am ready to experience it.
I know you are my provision, Lord. I trust you in the name of Jesus.
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