I found this at http://heartrevolutionminnesota.blogspot.com/ and thought it was so good I wanted to put it on my site as well. I did not write this, but I feel it is important enough to share...enjoy...
Recently, I found myself in a situation where am old haunt, an old "well" that I used to frequent when things got rough and I got "thirsty", seemed to jump right in my face and offer its solace. The week had been a rough one. Several weeks in fact. Work issues, relationship issues, feeling lonely, restless... it seems I was ripe for the picking.
It also seems that it is in these particular times that I (and most of the men I know) tend to forget all that I know is true and the old messages, the old lies, come flooding in. Right at the moment where my strength needs to be at my beconing, it seems to have run off like a new hunting dog at the first blast of my shotgun.
So there I stood. Alone on a busines trip. Staring at myself in the mirror thru the blinding haze of those dang hotel bathroom flourescent lights wondering who the man looking back was... really. In the first moment, excited at the possibilities that being in a strange town, alone, would afford me to fulfill this sense of emptiness. That with seeming anonimity I could pursue whatever fulfillment was offered to me. No one would have to know. Then I caught a glimpse of my reflection, and the questions started to flood in. "Who am I... really? Is all of this talk of new Life and a new Identity real, or is it just another rouse? And if it is true, why in the world am I entertaining the thoughts I am?"
Then right on its heals, the accusations, and with it, the trap that was set for me was preparing to slam shut.I continued to ponder... "And if I am entertaining these thoughts, then my heart must be bad and I must be just a fraud and a failure and if that is true then I might as well just give up this struggle and go out and..."But at that moment, that moment where the agreement with the lie, the agreement to believe that the heart God placed in me was worth nothing, was milli-seconds away from being embraced, I saw the strangest thing.
A black spider dropped down from underneath the bathroom counter and landed smack dab on the center of this bright white hotel bath towel that I had thrown on the floor earlier. It was a study in contrasts- this bright, clean, white towel and this black, creepy, nasty little spider. In that odd moment, God spoke."David, the towel is your heart. Clean. Pure. White. Mine. But neglected. On the floor. Easy place for a spider to get to. The spider is the enemy coming for your heart. And if your heart was not pure, you would never have seen him when he landed."He was done talking. I killed the spider on the white towel and flushed it.
Funny thing in how the enemy can so easily weasel his way in, but especially when I have neglected my heart, starving it as it were from the source of its Life. So often I try to live on the memory of yesterday's encounter with God (or last week's or last month's). What results is a neglected, starving heart that is easy prey. And our enemy knows this and takes full advantage, not only suggesting the sin but then accusing us for even thinking of it. His goal- to wrap us in the cycle of self defeat and accusation. If he can get you to do your own accusing (of yourself), he can have a coffee break. As my band has come to call him- he is a lazy suck after all, but oh so crafty and good at his job.
So where does that leave me? The next day I wrote this to a boot camp alumni- really, I was writing it to myself too. "...even in the midst of it all, you are fighting, and that, my friend, is victory too. You are not yet all that you will become, but each decision, each step for freedom that you take (and that includes the steps we make when we get up after falling down) is one step closer to that man that you really are inside. NEVER give up, NEVER. Failure is the man who doesn't rise after he falls, not the man who never falls."
May you and I keep killing the "spider" on the white towel and never give up... never!
David
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thought Bombs
I’ve been thinking a lot here lately about the place I am in the world. A lot of people would call it a mid-life crisis or something to that effect. I don’t necessarily agree with that assessment of my life. Although I do admit that I’ve been a bear to live with lately and that my thoughts have been focused on where I’m at in the world today, and what have I actually accomplished.
There is a book that I’ve been reading called “The Power of Praise and Worship” by Terry Law. In it he used the term “Thought Bombs”. Thought bombs are words that the enemy lobs at us on a daily basis. They are contrary to what God’s Word says about us, and they have just one intent, and that is to destroy our lives.
But you see the devil, our enemy really doesn’t have any power over the born again believer. Jesus defeated him all those many years ago. Stripping him of any real power that he had, and in turn Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit Who gives us the power to overcome the enemy every time.
The Bible likens our enemy to a “roaring lion”. Notice what it does not say. It does not say that he is a consuming lion. It says that the devil is only a roaring lion, and a roaring lion is one that just makes a lot of noise, but nothing else. That is exactly how he operates in our lives. He roars his words of doubt and unbelief at us, trying to trick us into saying the same thing that he is saying.
He is lobbing “thought bombs” at us, and they have no effect unless when we hear them, we take those words and begin to say them out loud with our own mouths. The devil knows he has no power over what we give him, and therefore tries to trick us into believing that these thought bombs are really just our minds talking, and not him attacking us.
Look with me at Proverbs 23:7a in the King James Version. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” The word that I’m the most interested here is the word “thinketh” or “thinks” in common English. It is pronounced in the Hebrew shaw-ar and means to split or open that is to act as a gatekeeper, to estimate or think.
Then look with me at what Jesus said in Luke 6:45; A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Here Jesus tells us that it is out of the abundance of our hearts that we will speak. In other words, we only speak that which we know, and we only know that which we think about.
What I see here is that whatever we are thinking about is what gets down into our hearts. And it is whatever is in our hearts that we are going to speak, thus giving power to the enemy or to God to work in our lives.
When the enemy is lobbing his thought bombs at us, they are not to just make us feel down, low or even just to harass, he is using them to in effect get us to think on his things instead of God’s things. He does this because he understands this Kingdom principle that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.
So when those thought bombs come, what are we to do? This is what I am learning to walk out right now. We can’t stop the thought bombs; there are too many voices on the wind in our lives. It’s kind of like walking through thick brush in the woods. There are hindrances all around you; and you just have to keep pushing through them.
I know that I for one would really like to just sit down and wish them away, but that doesn’t happen. And if you did that in the woods, eventually (given enough time) all that brush would grow up around you and cause you to be even more blocked than before. So we can’t sit down and stop, we just have to press on, no matter how hard it gets.
How does that look though? And how do I exactly do that? Through the power of praise and worship, now I’m not talking about getting a band together and start singing, although singing is one aspect in the praise and worship of God.
We have to start first with an understanding of what praise and worship is first. Praise is you telling God about how great He is. And worship is you telling God how much you love Him. Remember in the Old Testament where David wrote about praise? It’s found in Psalm 8:2; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Then we see Jesus quote this scripture in Matthew 21:16, but He does so in just a little different way; And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? It’s interesting that David called it strength and Jesus called it praise.
What I see here is that through our praise to God, we are given strength to shut up the enemy and the avenger. So when he lobs his thought bombs at us, and we in turn begin to praise God it turns those thought bombs into naught bombs. When we think on the greatness of God and what all He has purchased for us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, what else can we do but praise Him?
There is a book that I’ve been reading called “The Power of Praise and Worship” by Terry Law. In it he used the term “Thought Bombs”. Thought bombs are words that the enemy lobs at us on a daily basis. They are contrary to what God’s Word says about us, and they have just one intent, and that is to destroy our lives.
But you see the devil, our enemy really doesn’t have any power over the born again believer. Jesus defeated him all those many years ago. Stripping him of any real power that he had, and in turn Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit Who gives us the power to overcome the enemy every time.
The Bible likens our enemy to a “roaring lion”. Notice what it does not say. It does not say that he is a consuming lion. It says that the devil is only a roaring lion, and a roaring lion is one that just makes a lot of noise, but nothing else. That is exactly how he operates in our lives. He roars his words of doubt and unbelief at us, trying to trick us into saying the same thing that he is saying.
He is lobbing “thought bombs” at us, and they have no effect unless when we hear them, we take those words and begin to say them out loud with our own mouths. The devil knows he has no power over what we give him, and therefore tries to trick us into believing that these thought bombs are really just our minds talking, and not him attacking us.
Look with me at Proverbs 23:7a in the King James Version. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” The word that I’m the most interested here is the word “thinketh” or “thinks” in common English. It is pronounced in the Hebrew shaw-ar and means to split or open that is to act as a gatekeeper, to estimate or think.
Then look with me at what Jesus said in Luke 6:45; A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Here Jesus tells us that it is out of the abundance of our hearts that we will speak. In other words, we only speak that which we know, and we only know that which we think about.
What I see here is that whatever we are thinking about is what gets down into our hearts. And it is whatever is in our hearts that we are going to speak, thus giving power to the enemy or to God to work in our lives.
When the enemy is lobbing his thought bombs at us, they are not to just make us feel down, low or even just to harass, he is using them to in effect get us to think on his things instead of God’s things. He does this because he understands this Kingdom principle that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.
So when those thought bombs come, what are we to do? This is what I am learning to walk out right now. We can’t stop the thought bombs; there are too many voices on the wind in our lives. It’s kind of like walking through thick brush in the woods. There are hindrances all around you; and you just have to keep pushing through them.
I know that I for one would really like to just sit down and wish them away, but that doesn’t happen. And if you did that in the woods, eventually (given enough time) all that brush would grow up around you and cause you to be even more blocked than before. So we can’t sit down and stop, we just have to press on, no matter how hard it gets.
How does that look though? And how do I exactly do that? Through the power of praise and worship, now I’m not talking about getting a band together and start singing, although singing is one aspect in the praise and worship of God.
We have to start first with an understanding of what praise and worship is first. Praise is you telling God about how great He is. And worship is you telling God how much you love Him. Remember in the Old Testament where David wrote about praise? It’s found in Psalm 8:2; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Then we see Jesus quote this scripture in Matthew 21:16, but He does so in just a little different way; And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? It’s interesting that David called it strength and Jesus called it praise.
What I see here is that through our praise to God, we are given strength to shut up the enemy and the avenger. So when he lobs his thought bombs at us, and we in turn begin to praise God it turns those thought bombs into naught bombs. When we think on the greatness of God and what all He has purchased for us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, what else can we do but praise Him?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Friggin' ~ Flippin' ~ Freakin' ~ What the?
What has our society become? I mean really, have you taken a long hard look at it recently? I was around a twenty-something and his Grandmother today. She must have said "friggin" at least a dozen times.
I don't really know why I dislike these euphemisms (yōō'fə-mĭz'əmz), (Here is the definition for those of you who don't know this word: n. The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.) maybe it's because if I was to hear the word that was being substituted it would go up my backside as well. I don't know, it just seems vulgar to hear them being used, and by a Grandmother no less.
I think it really irritates me because it is just one more way that we are throwing decency and morality out the window. We say that we use these words as descriptive words in our vocabulary, but what do they really describe? Let's look at them; "Flippin" that means to flip. "Freakin" means to freak. And "Friggin", well I don't know what it means to frig....
These are words that were hardly used even five years ago, yet now I hear them on a daily basis, and truthfully it disgusts me. I don't know what to do to get us back to a better time. I mean I have to get onto my children a lot about the use of these euphemisms, and they tell me that they don't mean anything. I find that hard to believe....maybe I've just become an old coot...
I don't really know why I dislike these euphemisms (yōō'fə-mĭz'əmz), (Here is the definition for those of you who don't know this word: n. The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.) maybe it's because if I was to hear the word that was being substituted it would go up my backside as well. I don't know, it just seems vulgar to hear them being used, and by a Grandmother no less.
I think it really irritates me because it is just one more way that we are throwing decency and morality out the window. We say that we use these words as descriptive words in our vocabulary, but what do they really describe? Let's look at them; "Flippin" that means to flip. "Freakin" means to freak. And "Friggin", well I don't know what it means to frig....
These are words that were hardly used even five years ago, yet now I hear them on a daily basis, and truthfully it disgusts me. I don't know what to do to get us back to a better time. I mean I have to get onto my children a lot about the use of these euphemisms, and they tell me that they don't mean anything. I find that hard to believe....maybe I've just become an old coot...
Thursday, September 4, 2008
How Are You Doing Today?
"How are you doing today?" I am in retail, and I sell shoes. So therefore, I start a lot of conversations. "How are you doing today?" is one that I frequently ask of all the people that I meet in my day. And if I were to ask you, I'd probably find out that you ask the same question as well.
My thought today is, do I really mean it? When I ask someone how their day is going, am I willing to get in there and really try to find out? People have been asked this question so many times, that usually they just give the "pat" answer, "I'm fine, and you?"
I had to ask myself today, "What would I do if someone actually told me how they were doing, and their answer wasn't 'fine'." So I've decided to do a little experiment. I'm going to ask the various people that come in how they are doing today and see how many answer by saying "fine", "good", something like that, and how many actually tell me how they are really doing. It should be an interesting experiment. Also, to add to the experiment, I'm going to give a real answer about how I'm doing if I am asked in return.
I'll do this for a few days, then come back and update with the results....
My thought today is, do I really mean it? When I ask someone how their day is going, am I willing to get in there and really try to find out? People have been asked this question so many times, that usually they just give the "pat" answer, "I'm fine, and you?"
I had to ask myself today, "What would I do if someone actually told me how they were doing, and their answer wasn't 'fine'." So I've decided to do a little experiment. I'm going to ask the various people that come in how they are doing today and see how many answer by saying "fine", "good", something like that, and how many actually tell me how they are really doing. It should be an interesting experiment. Also, to add to the experiment, I'm going to give a real answer about how I'm doing if I am asked in return.
I'll do this for a few days, then come back and update with the results....
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I Saw The Heart of the Father This Morning...& It Ain't Good
Today, I was afforded an opportunity that I've not had a lot of. I saw into the heart of my Heavenly Father, and I'm still trying to reconcile what He said.
My day started off like many others, I was up at 6 am, made a pot of coffee, asked the Lord where He wanted me to read in my bible today, and then did just that. After reading (and a small nap) I poured a cup of joe, and got out The Silence of Adam and picked up where I left off with yesterday's reading. An hour or so later, I made some rice, had breakfast got ready for work and left calling two friends on the phone as I drove to work. I wanted to ask them some questions about some stuff coming up in the ministry that I'm heading up.
Anyway, as I finished the phone call, got out of my truck and walked to the front door of my store, up from my spirit I heard the Father say, "Why don't you talk to Me about things?" "You spend all morning reading, and preparing, yet you don't talk to Me, unless you need something, or have some answer you need. Why don't you just talk to Me?" It was almost as if He was saddened, not scolding...which was actually probably worse....
I've been thinking about this comment that He made to me this morning, and I'm reminded of a husband and wife talking and one of them trying to get the other to engage in conversation with them. I have totally let the Father down....I know that He loves me and I'll work through this with Him, but I just wanted to put this out there as a way of reminding all of us to not get so busy doing the Christian thing that we forget the Author of the Christian thing and spending time with Him, just being ourselves and letting Him be who He is....strength and honor for the Kingdom.....
My day started off like many others, I was up at 6 am, made a pot of coffee, asked the Lord where He wanted me to read in my bible today, and then did just that. After reading (and a small nap) I poured a cup of joe, and got out The Silence of Adam and picked up where I left off with yesterday's reading. An hour or so later, I made some rice, had breakfast got ready for work and left calling two friends on the phone as I drove to work. I wanted to ask them some questions about some stuff coming up in the ministry that I'm heading up.
Anyway, as I finished the phone call, got out of my truck and walked to the front door of my store, up from my spirit I heard the Father say, "Why don't you talk to Me about things?" "You spend all morning reading, and preparing, yet you don't talk to Me, unless you need something, or have some answer you need. Why don't you just talk to Me?" It was almost as if He was saddened, not scolding...which was actually probably worse....
I've been thinking about this comment that He made to me this morning, and I'm reminded of a husband and wife talking and one of them trying to get the other to engage in conversation with them. I have totally let the Father down....I know that He loves me and I'll work through this with Him, but I just wanted to put this out there as a way of reminding all of us to not get so busy doing the Christian thing that we forget the Author of the Christian thing and spending time with Him, just being ourselves and letting Him be who He is....strength and honor for the Kingdom.....
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Merry-go-round.....
As a kid, I can remember always wanting to get on the Merry-go-round. It always looked like so much fun. I could barely contain myself as I would run from the car to the playground. I'd get on it first and hollar for my brothers to hurry up and get there, but the anticipation would get the best of me and I would begin to run around holding onto the bar racing as fast as my little legs would go, building up as much speed as I could, then I would jump on, hold tightly and go for the ride I had so long waited for.
Of course, then my younger brothers would show up and I'd have to wait and get them on board and begin to push again. Sometimes a grown up would push us and get us going really fast. But it usually didn't take me long to realize that while it was so much fun at first, it got old really quick, and my stomach couldn't take the round and round and round. I would get off and stagger around like a drunk man for a little while, trying to get over the cold sweats and upset stomach.
Tonight the thought came to me that that is how sin is. It comes on as something that we really want to do, we think about how much fun it is going to be, and we can't hardly wait until the opportunity to have whatever it is that we are wanting arrives. And then when it finally gets here, we enjoy ourselves for a time, but then we find ourselves in that situation where what at first promised so much joy ends up causing us pain.
I think this is what the Scriptures are trying to tell us when we read in Hebrews 11:25 speaking of Moses; "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season..." Sin is fun plain and simple, to say otherwise would be a lie. Because we see here that it is fun...for a season. A season is a short span of time. When we choose to sin we will be enjoying it for a while, just not a long while.
That is where so many of us fall I think. Because sin feels good (at first) we think, this must be an okay thing, it must not be that bad...it's only after the season is over and we've reaped our harvest that we realize how caught up in the mess we really are. It is at this point that we, like I was when I was little, start to stagger around like a drunk man, feeling horrible inside. The biggest problem with this, is that most just continue to stagger around and away from the Father God.
God knew that we were going to sin, and He is not surprised when we do. Does he like it? No. Does He stop liking us if we sin? No. What we have to do, is turn back to Him, confess our sins and He has promised that He will cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness and bring us back into right standing with Him. (1John 1:9)
I am not at all condoning sin, or saying that it doesn't matter and we shouldn't try to live a holy and righteous life. I just think that what happens so many times is that people are afraid to go to God when that is what they need to do the most. So yeah, don't sin is the best way, but if you do, you have an advocate with the Father (Jesus) who lives to plead your case before the Father, just don't run from Him...run to Him. Strength and honor for the Kingdom....and whatever you do, get off that Merry-go-round.....
Of course, then my younger brothers would show up and I'd have to wait and get them on board and begin to push again. Sometimes a grown up would push us and get us going really fast. But it usually didn't take me long to realize that while it was so much fun at first, it got old really quick, and my stomach couldn't take the round and round and round. I would get off and stagger around like a drunk man for a little while, trying to get over the cold sweats and upset stomach.
Tonight the thought came to me that that is how sin is. It comes on as something that we really want to do, we think about how much fun it is going to be, and we can't hardly wait until the opportunity to have whatever it is that we are wanting arrives. And then when it finally gets here, we enjoy ourselves for a time, but then we find ourselves in that situation where what at first promised so much joy ends up causing us pain.
I think this is what the Scriptures are trying to tell us when we read in Hebrews 11:25 speaking of Moses; "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season..." Sin is fun plain and simple, to say otherwise would be a lie. Because we see here that it is fun...for a season. A season is a short span of time. When we choose to sin we will be enjoying it for a while, just not a long while.
That is where so many of us fall I think. Because sin feels good (at first) we think, this must be an okay thing, it must not be that bad...it's only after the season is over and we've reaped our harvest that we realize how caught up in the mess we really are. It is at this point that we, like I was when I was little, start to stagger around like a drunk man, feeling horrible inside. The biggest problem with this, is that most just continue to stagger around and away from the Father God.
God knew that we were going to sin, and He is not surprised when we do. Does he like it? No. Does He stop liking us if we sin? No. What we have to do, is turn back to Him, confess our sins and He has promised that He will cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness and bring us back into right standing with Him. (1John 1:9)
I am not at all condoning sin, or saying that it doesn't matter and we shouldn't try to live a holy and righteous life. I just think that what happens so many times is that people are afraid to go to God when that is what they need to do the most. So yeah, don't sin is the best way, but if you do, you have an advocate with the Father (Jesus) who lives to plead your case before the Father, just don't run from Him...run to Him. Strength and honor for the Kingdom....and whatever you do, get off that Merry-go-round.....
Monday, August 18, 2008
Falling on our knees before the King
I started a book today, it's called The Silence of Adam. I'm only one chapter in, and it has already got me to thinking. One of the thoughts that I've had, is that in my pursuit of true, authentic manhood, have I missed the point? What I mean by that is, what is the true goal of becoming an authentic man? Is this a goal I want to achieve so that people can say, "Look at Dave, he sure has it all together.", or "Man I wish I could be more like Dave."
Realistically, I've got to say there may actually be a little truth in there. Not that that is the only reason that I want to be the best man that I can be for my wife, children and the community in which I live. I want to follow the examples that Jesus has laid down for me to follow. And that is where this is really going....
In order for me to be the best man that I can be, I've got to let go of everything but Jesus. I have to give it all to Him, and then follow where He leads me. No agendas, no alterior motives just follow Jesus every day and see where that leads me. And to be quite honest and transparant about that, it really is a scary proposition to follow Jesus like that. To get up each day not knowing what the day may hold.
As I was getting kids up this morning, and loading the van for my bride and kids to head off to the home school coop that we are a part of, I looked to the east and saw one of the most incredible sights I've ever seen. The sun was not yet coming over the horizon but the light of the sun was and the reflections off of the clouds in the sky was breathtaking. Oranges and lavendars in a mix that I've never quite seen together. As I stood there thanking my Father for the beautiful sunrise, I was quickened in my spirit of the Scripture that says, "God's mercies are new every morning." (Dave paraphrase).
Every day that we wake up and breathe breath is a new day full of possiblities and wonder. But do I actually live like I believe that? My days are so full of the "me possibilites" that often I find myself ending the day and thinking, "Oh, hey Lord...how was your day? Mine was, well You know....sorry I missed our time together...."
I think from reading that first chapter in The Silence of Adam, the main thing I'm finding now, is am I falling on my knees before my King and spending time in His Presence every day? The answer today is, not as much as I would like to, but then I remember that His mercy is new every morning and think...that's great, I get to try again tomorrow.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom....and the King!
Realistically, I've got to say there may actually be a little truth in there. Not that that is the only reason that I want to be the best man that I can be for my wife, children and the community in which I live. I want to follow the examples that Jesus has laid down for me to follow. And that is where this is really going....
In order for me to be the best man that I can be, I've got to let go of everything but Jesus. I have to give it all to Him, and then follow where He leads me. No agendas, no alterior motives just follow Jesus every day and see where that leads me. And to be quite honest and transparant about that, it really is a scary proposition to follow Jesus like that. To get up each day not knowing what the day may hold.
As I was getting kids up this morning, and loading the van for my bride and kids to head off to the home school coop that we are a part of, I looked to the east and saw one of the most incredible sights I've ever seen. The sun was not yet coming over the horizon but the light of the sun was and the reflections off of the clouds in the sky was breathtaking. Oranges and lavendars in a mix that I've never quite seen together. As I stood there thanking my Father for the beautiful sunrise, I was quickened in my spirit of the Scripture that says, "God's mercies are new every morning." (Dave paraphrase).
Every day that we wake up and breathe breath is a new day full of possiblities and wonder. But do I actually live like I believe that? My days are so full of the "me possibilites" that often I find myself ending the day and thinking, "Oh, hey Lord...how was your day? Mine was, well You know....sorry I missed our time together...."
I think from reading that first chapter in The Silence of Adam, the main thing I'm finding now, is am I falling on my knees before my King and spending time in His Presence every day? The answer today is, not as much as I would like to, but then I remember that His mercy is new every morning and think...that's great, I get to try again tomorrow.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom....and the King!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Is Your Spirit-man a Mini-me?
Okay, so we are a triune being just like our Maker. We are a spirit (the real me), we have a soul (mind, will & emotions) and we live in a body (that flesh and blood part of you that everyone thinks is so attractive).
So as I was listening to a minister on the radio on the way to work, he was talking about developing our faith. You see we all start out with the same measure of faith (Romans 12:8) "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Everyone starts out with the same amount of faith (that's because God is fair & just), then it is up to us to see our faith grow.
So as I'm listening to the message today, the minister says, "So many people are living as spiritual dwarves." and immediately my mind goes to an image of "Mini-me" from the Austin Powers movies. If you've seen these you know that he is a clone of Dr. Evil, only in smaller form. So now I'm thinking, okay if my spirit resides inside of my body, is it the same size, or is it a dwarf size? Have I grown my faith, or is it stunted, never having grown past it's original size?
My thoughts also go to the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-29), what have I done with what the Lord has given me? If I was to answer this truthfully, I think that I would have to answer that my spirit-man looks a lot more like a mini-me, than an actual me. This is not to beat myself up or anything, just a truthful assessment of my life. So how about you? Are you a spiritual dwarf? If you answer yes, then what are you going to do about it?
For me, I'm going to begin to grow my faith. How is that done you might ask? It's done by feeding on God's Word. A daily dose of scripture, is like our neccessary food. Remember, Jesus said that man won't live by bread (bodily food) alone, but by every Word (spiritual food) that proceeds from the mouth of God. According to Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing the words of Christ.
I heard it put this way, most Christians feed their bodies three full meals a day, and their spirits one cold snack a week. If we were to feed our bodies one cold snack a week, we would grow weaker and weaker. So by that reasoning, if we feed our spirits one cold snack a week, our faith will grow weaker and weaker. It was said of Smith Wigglesworth that no matter where he was, at home, in a church member's home or at a resturaunt, after finishing the meal, he would say (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Okay, so we've fed our bodies, now let's feed our spirits." And he would bring out his bible and read some scripture and from time to time even expound on it a little. It was said that he did this after every meal. What a great idea, perhaps I'll try that with my family.
Strength and honor...for the Kingdom and the King!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Does She Know This...Really Know This?
I'm about to turn 45, and in a few weeks my bride and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. There has been a lot of reflection in my life lately. So I was wondering about my relationship with my wife, and whether or not she really knew how I felt about her.
I thought of all that she has done in the last 20 years to make our house a home, and it dawned on me, that all the cleaning, laundry, dinners, etc. those things I could have hired out from a service, she didn't really have to do those things. The home repairs (which my bride loves to do) and the yard work (which she doesn't like me to do - apparently I don't do as good a job as her), all of these things are things that I am very appreciative that she has done for all these years, but again they are things that I could hire someone to do for me.
With all of my thinking about this, a realization came to me, and that was really what I need my wife for, is companionship and a never-ending relationship. You see, all of the stuff that we clamor after, and all the things that we scurry around doing, really when all is said and done, don't amount to anything, after all when I read in the Bible I see that eventually God is going to burn everything up with fire, and create a new heaven and a new earth. So all this stuff we are trying to gain and achieve (while not bad for us to have to be sure) is not the end result of our lives.
Remember, we are made in the image of God. God is an Eternal Being, so therefore we are eternal beings as well. The one thing that will last throughout eternity is the relationships that we have made while we were on this earth. So the thing that my bride needs to know from me is that she is loved by me, not for what she can do for me, but that she is loved by me, for who she is to me. My eternal companion and friend.
So, let me pose this question to you, does your bride know this...really know this? Or is she operating under the assumption that it is what she can do for you, not who she is to you? I know that I hadn't thought of this until yesterday, and I am making a change in my life so that she knows that it is who she is to me, not anything else that matters to me. She is loved, because I choose daily to love her from an unconditional heart....strength and honor.......
I thought of all that she has done in the last 20 years to make our house a home, and it dawned on me, that all the cleaning, laundry, dinners, etc. those things I could have hired out from a service, she didn't really have to do those things. The home repairs (which my bride loves to do) and the yard work (which she doesn't like me to do - apparently I don't do as good a job as her), all of these things are things that I am very appreciative that she has done for all these years, but again they are things that I could hire someone to do for me.
With all of my thinking about this, a realization came to me, and that was really what I need my wife for, is companionship and a never-ending relationship. You see, all of the stuff that we clamor after, and all the things that we scurry around doing, really when all is said and done, don't amount to anything, after all when I read in the Bible I see that eventually God is going to burn everything up with fire, and create a new heaven and a new earth. So all this stuff we are trying to gain and achieve (while not bad for us to have to be sure) is not the end result of our lives.
Remember, we are made in the image of God. God is an Eternal Being, so therefore we are eternal beings as well. The one thing that will last throughout eternity is the relationships that we have made while we were on this earth. So the thing that my bride needs to know from me is that she is loved by me, not for what she can do for me, but that she is loved by me, for who she is to me. My eternal companion and friend.
So, let me pose this question to you, does your bride know this...really know this? Or is she operating under the assumption that it is what she can do for you, not who she is to you? I know that I hadn't thought of this until yesterday, and I am making a change in my life so that she knows that it is who she is to me, not anything else that matters to me. She is loved, because I choose daily to love her from an unconditional heart....strength and honor.......
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Jesus...Make Me The Man You Want Me To Be
There is a favorite song of mine that Phil Joel does, called "Make Me The Man You Want Me To Be" on the "Bring It On" cd. Here is a video link that I found of him doing it live:
I got to thinking about that, Jesus making me the man that He wants me to be. Sometimes we throw around Christian type phrases like this, but Jesus has done everything that He is going to do, I just have to walk in what He has purchased for me. So really Jesus, make me the man that You want me to be is something of a misleading statement.
I have to take what I see that Jesus has done for me (this is found in the Bible) and begin to agree with what His Word says about me and do those things that I find in there. I have to love my wife, which while Jesus by His Spirit can encourage me to do this, it ultimately is up to me and me alone to do that. I can love my neighbor as myself, but again Jesus won't make me do that, I have to take the time to actually love my neighbor, and that takes time and effort.
I know that I want to be the man that Jesus wants me to be, but it can't be a passive thing, I have to be active in pursuing it. I think that is where many of us fail, we want to be the men that Jesus wants us to be, but we are unwilling to put the effort into getting there. And believe me there is effort in attaining that place. I have not arrived, but I'm on the journey...won't you join me? If you are already on the journey, shoot me an email and let me know how it's going...I'm always looking to meet other men working to be the men that Jesus wants them to be...
Strength and honor......
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Is This Your Battle To Fight?
I was talking with a friend the other day. He had called me to ask my opinion about a situation that was going on in his business. Without going into the particulars, and naming names, suffice it to say that my friend is a Christian business man, and his employee is not a Christian.
As we talked, he told me that he was going to have to fire the employee, and that he didn't want that to cause this man to not come to Christ as a result. We talked a little more, and I told him that he really needed to seperate the two issues, one, the fact that he wanted this young man to be saved (a noble thing to be sure) and two the fact that he was not doing the job that he was hired to do.
As I have thought about this a little bit more today, it got me to wondering if we actually take on battles that really we haven't been called to fight. I know that there have been times where I felt like I needed to jump in and try and save the day, but did I actually? I mean if I took the time to stop and search my heart asking the Father, I might have been better off.
I'm pretty sure that some of the things that I feel are all important and need doing, the Father would say otherwise. It's not always my fight, sometimes these things just get in the way of what Jesus would actually have us to do. I think sometimes the enemy brings things to us to battle that aren't our fight, just to distract us from what the Father really wants.
Anyway, that's just a random thought for the day...keep your sword up...strength and honor........
As we talked, he told me that he was going to have to fire the employee, and that he didn't want that to cause this man to not come to Christ as a result. We talked a little more, and I told him that he really needed to seperate the two issues, one, the fact that he wanted this young man to be saved (a noble thing to be sure) and two the fact that he was not doing the job that he was hired to do.
As I have thought about this a little bit more today, it got me to wondering if we actually take on battles that really we haven't been called to fight. I know that there have been times where I felt like I needed to jump in and try and save the day, but did I actually? I mean if I took the time to stop and search my heart asking the Father, I might have been better off.
I'm pretty sure that some of the things that I feel are all important and need doing, the Father would say otherwise. It's not always my fight, sometimes these things just get in the way of what Jesus would actually have us to do. I think sometimes the enemy brings things to us to battle that aren't our fight, just to distract us from what the Father really wants.
Anyway, that's just a random thought for the day...keep your sword up...strength and honor........
Friday, May 30, 2008
Where's the Emergency Stop button?
Years ago, when I was working in a pipe threading factory, where we would put threads on the ends of 9 5/8 inch casing for the oil fields, there was a big red button that you could push if your machine started acting crazy.
Well I was thinking today about my life and how crazy it has been lately, and without going into the details of it, I've been looking for that big red button so that I can push it and my life will at least stop for a little while and I can get things back to normal.
Does anyone know where that big red button is? I'm sure that I know where it is, but right at the moment my life is so chaotic that I can barely find my own rear end. So let me ask, does anyone else out there ever feel like this? Just curious.....
Well I was thinking today about my life and how crazy it has been lately, and without going into the details of it, I've been looking for that big red button so that I can push it and my life will at least stop for a little while and I can get things back to normal.
Does anyone know where that big red button is? I'm sure that I know where it is, but right at the moment my life is so chaotic that I can barely find my own rear end. So let me ask, does anyone else out there ever feel like this? Just curious.....
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Hesitancy...and the gospel of me.....
This morning as I was reading and enjoying a little quiet time with the Father, I pondered my life and where I have come from these last few years. What I was thinking really was, "What would be the main thing that I have yet to overcome in my life?" And the word that I heard was "Hesitancy".
I immediately made myself a mental note to look up that word, and went on with my reading. When I got to work, I checked the definition of the word hesitancy, and this is what I found:
Hesitancy: (noun) hesitation or indecision; doubt.
(synonyms)
I immediately made myself a mental note to look up that word, and went on with my reading. When I got to work, I checked the definition of the word hesitancy, and this is what I found:
Hesitancy: (noun) hesitation or indecision; doubt.
(synonyms)
- Doubt, indecision, skepticism, irresolution, uncertaintity.
- Delay, wavering, delaying, procrastination, pause
Well, so now I can see that I've been nailed by the Father here. When I've been hesitant in any aspect of my life I have been in doubt, wavering. And it seems that there is a scripture that talks about that: (James 1:5-8)
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
In looking back on my life (all 44 years of it), if I was going to be honest with myself, I would have to say that I have always been one of those hesitant guys. I mean, I don't jump out in front and take the lead very often. Oh occasionally I will if it is in a large group, but I'm talking about my personal life here. I tend to lean more towards the passive and not the aggressive behaviour.
What gets me with this, is that all this time I've thought that I was trusting God, but if I'm hesitant with the things that He has shown me, then I'm actually in doubt, and doubt is the opposite of faith. And we all know that without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that comes to Him must believe and not doubt. So if I'm in doubt, I'm not in faith, and that puts Dave into a very precarious position.
I think that I'm finding a truth here, one that has eluded me for a good many years. I've got to follow after this and see into which parts of my heart it leads. I'm sure that one thing is true, if the Father leads me there, He will help me with whatever I find. After all that is what the scriputre in James is talking about, when we don't know, ask the Father, because He wants to help us.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Teddy Roosevelt....a man's man
I received this blog in my email today from a man's group called "The Art of Manliness". It was so good I posted it here for you all to see....enjoy. And to whoever the author is (let me know and I'll give you full credit) I appreciate your article very much.
The author of this is Brett McKay. Thanks to Charlie Kondeck for the information.
Lessons in Manliness: Theodore Roosevelt and the Spanish-American War
Theodore Roosevelt, who arguably accomplished more than any other American man, called his experience in the Spanish-American War, “the great day of my life.” It was during his charge up Kettle Hill that Theodore Roosevelt’s leadership and confidence finally crystallized. He passed the test and emerged as a leader capable of ascending to the presidency. His actions during the war impart crucial lessons on manly leadership:
Theodore Roosevelt, who arguably accomplished more than any other American man, called his experience in the Spanish-American War, “the great day of my life.” It was during his charge up Kettle Hill that Theodore Roosevelt’s leadership and confidence finally crystallized. He passed the test and emerged as a leader capable of ascending to the presidency. His actions during the war impart crucial lessons on manly leadership:
1. Walk the Walk. Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly child who grew up reading of ancient battles and warriors and longing to be one. He built up his body and as he got older started writing his own books about military feats. Yet he still longed to see action firsthand, and when the opportunity finally arrived, he wasted no time in seizing it. As soon as the Spanish-American War broke out, Teddy pestered the Secretary of the Navy for a commission in the army. He then sold his cattle ranch and some of his possessions, and took out life insurance in preparation of receiving it. He was fully prepared to put his money where his mouth (and pen) was.
2. Know your limitations. Teddy was never short on confidence, but he didn’t let cocksureness slip into arrogance. When Roosevelt got his wish for an army commission and was offered command of the First United States Volunteer Calvary as Colonel, he turned it down citing his lack of tactical experience. He instead accepted a position as Lieutenant Colonel and recommend Leonard Wood to be Colonel. (TR would later become Colonel when Wood was promoted to brigadier general.)
3. Pick the best men for your team. If you wish to surround yourself with the best men, you must be the kind of leader men fall over each to serve under. 23,000 men applied to be part of the First Calvary; most of them addressed their letters to Roosevelt even though Wood was technically in charge. Of the 23,000 only 560 were chosen. Some of the rejected cried, so heartbroken were they on not being able to be part of Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Composed of the West’s best frontiersmen, marksmen, and horsemen and the East’s great athletes and prominent sons, the Rough Riders were a unique and unstoppable group.
4. Be one of the men. The ship which transported the troops to Cuba did not have room for many horses; Roosevelt was one of the few men in the regiment able to take his. When the Rough Riders arrived in Cuba, they began their march to Las Guasimas. The temperature was simmering, and the men trudged through the heat in thick uniforms and heavy bedrolls. Still, Roosevelt walked alongside the men, refusing to ride while they were marching.
5. Lead by example. Don’t ask others to do anything you are afraid of doing yourself. When it came time to take the San Juan Heights, TR’s regiment ran into heavy fire from the Spanish. As bodies piled up all around him, TR stayed on his horse as an example of courage. However, there was a delay before they could start scaling the hills, and the men, including TR, were forced to lay low and take cover. When the order finally came to take Kettle Hill, the men were reluctant to rise to their feet. TR mounted his horse and shouted, “Are you afraid to stand up, when I am on horseback?” He promptly took off, galloping across an open area and under a hail of bullets.
6. See it through. After securing Kettle Hill, TR noticed that the attacks on the neighboring San Juan Hill were faltering. He shouted for his men to charge, leaped over a barbed wire fence, and ran down the hill. When he glanced back, he saw that only 5 of his men had followed. 3 of these 5 were shot and TR was practically leading the charge single-handedly. He ran back under heavy fire, formed the remaining men (who claimed to have not heard the initial order) into a formidable assault line, and began the charge again.
Roosevelt’s personal bravery and leadership were critical elements in the success of the Battle of Las Guasimas. In 2001, Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A Man's Word...or On a Handshake
Last night my youngest son and I started to watch The Cowboys (1972), starring John Wayne. He plays the character Will Andersen, a 60 year old cattle man. The following is a transcript of the beginning of the movie. I found it really interesting.
Five cowhands on horseback ride up to the Andersen ranch, tie up their horses and walk over to a corral where Will Andersen is working on breaking a horse. After a few minutes of handling the horse, hurting his hands in the process, he ties off the horse and leaves the corral, talking to his hired hands.
Will: Well I want each of you fellas to buy yourself a $1 Ingersoll watch. You can't break them with a hammer, and won't lose more than a minute a month.
Hired Hand #1: I know we're late Mr. Andersen.
Will: You're two hours late. Work starts around here at 6:00 a.m. Goes for everybody.
H.H. #1: Yes, sir. We spent the night in Bozeman. Town's empty as a bone orchard. Everybody's lit out for the Ruby River.
Will: What for?
H.H.#1: Gold.
Will: At the Ruby? Played out years ago.
H.H.#2: No, sir. This is a new strike. About 20 miles above there. Almost to the Beaverhead. Tell him Smiley.
H.H.#1: Well, the fact is, Mr. Andersen, me and the boys kind of thought we'd like to take a ride up that way, and have ouselves a little look-see.
Will: Got 1,500 head of steer to get to Belle Fourche before it snows on me. You've hired on to move them.
H.H#1: We'd like to help you out, Mr. Andersen....
Will: Like to help me out?
H.H.#2: The others done pulled out. There's only 5 of us left.
Will: That busts it.
H.H.#3: What do you expect? You work us like dogs night and day, and Christmas too.
Will: I pay you every Saturday!
H.H.#3: There's easier money around.
H.H.#1: We'll do it this way, Mr. Andersen. We'll take a ride up there, and we'll have a look around. Two or three weeks. If it don't work out, we'll get them other fellas and we'll be right back here. You have my word on that. Don't he boys?
Will: Your word?
H.H.#1: Yes sir.
Will: Well, here's my word. Get the hell off of my spread...Now.
The hired hands kinda look around, kick at the dirt and walk off.
Will: Miserable.
Hired hands ride off, Will goes to the house where his wife is waiting. Leans down into a water trough and places his gloved hands into the water...
Will: Well, they ran clean out from under me, whole damn bunch of them.
Wife: I heard most of it. Let me see that. (removes his gloves and looks at his injured hands)
Will: A fool comes to town with a fistful of gold dust and every jackass in 50 miles around lights out after him. In my day, a man would stay with you on a handshake.
Wife: It's a different day, Will.
Will: Yeah. Well I guess I'll go over to the Bigelow place, see what I can turn up...maybe Henry...
Wife: Henry Bigelow's 60 years old Will.
Will: So am I. (He heads off to the stable to get his horse)
Ok so, this scene of the movie brought up a thought in my head. The movie itself is set in the late 1800's, and was released in 1972 in theatres. So I guess that people have been dealing with men not keeping their word for as long as time then.
I know that one of the most frustrating things that I've ever encountered was when a man didn't keep his word to me. I'm sure that like the men in this movie, those who have let me down before had legitimate reasons, just like I'm sure mine have been legitimate when I've let others down as well. The fact is, we as men, should just keep our words regardless of what the outcome.
The Bible tells us to swear to our own hurt. (Psalm 15:4) Well, that sounds an awful lot like keeping your word when you give it doesn't it? What is different about us as men today, from those here in earlier years? Do we struggle with the same issues that those men of old struggled with? Did a man like Will Andersen have to think whether or not he should keep his word above all else?
I guess this is what was stirred up in my heart the most, the thought that perhaps I just need to "Cowboy Up" and keep my word. This is something that I've been working at teaching my sons, (my daughter as well, because I think girls should keep their word too). I keep asking myself, have I kept my words to my kids? How else will they learn if they don't see me honoring and keeping my words, even when it causes me pain?
Honor my word, keep my word....do what I say, without exception. That's a tall order, but it is one that is able to be kept...Strength and Honor.......
Five cowhands on horseback ride up to the Andersen ranch, tie up their horses and walk over to a corral where Will Andersen is working on breaking a horse. After a few minutes of handling the horse, hurting his hands in the process, he ties off the horse and leaves the corral, talking to his hired hands.
Will: Well I want each of you fellas to buy yourself a $1 Ingersoll watch. You can't break them with a hammer, and won't lose more than a minute a month.
Hired Hand #1: I know we're late Mr. Andersen.
Will: You're two hours late. Work starts around here at 6:00 a.m. Goes for everybody.
H.H. #1: Yes, sir. We spent the night in Bozeman. Town's empty as a bone orchard. Everybody's lit out for the Ruby River.
Will: What for?
H.H.#1: Gold.
Will: At the Ruby? Played out years ago.
H.H.#2: No, sir. This is a new strike. About 20 miles above there. Almost to the Beaverhead. Tell him Smiley.
H.H.#1: Well, the fact is, Mr. Andersen, me and the boys kind of thought we'd like to take a ride up that way, and have ouselves a little look-see.
Will: Got 1,500 head of steer to get to Belle Fourche before it snows on me. You've hired on to move them.
H.H#1: We'd like to help you out, Mr. Andersen....
Will: Like to help me out?
H.H.#2: The others done pulled out. There's only 5 of us left.
Will: That busts it.
H.H.#3: What do you expect? You work us like dogs night and day, and Christmas too.
Will: I pay you every Saturday!
H.H.#3: There's easier money around.
H.H.#1: We'll do it this way, Mr. Andersen. We'll take a ride up there, and we'll have a look around. Two or three weeks. If it don't work out, we'll get them other fellas and we'll be right back here. You have my word on that. Don't he boys?
Will: Your word?
H.H.#1: Yes sir.
Will: Well, here's my word. Get the hell off of my spread...Now.
The hired hands kinda look around, kick at the dirt and walk off.
Will: Miserable.
Hired hands ride off, Will goes to the house where his wife is waiting. Leans down into a water trough and places his gloved hands into the water...
Will: Well, they ran clean out from under me, whole damn bunch of them.
Wife: I heard most of it. Let me see that. (removes his gloves and looks at his injured hands)
Will: A fool comes to town with a fistful of gold dust and every jackass in 50 miles around lights out after him. In my day, a man would stay with you on a handshake.
Wife: It's a different day, Will.
Will: Yeah. Well I guess I'll go over to the Bigelow place, see what I can turn up...maybe Henry...
Wife: Henry Bigelow's 60 years old Will.
Will: So am I. (He heads off to the stable to get his horse)
Ok so, this scene of the movie brought up a thought in my head. The movie itself is set in the late 1800's, and was released in 1972 in theatres. So I guess that people have been dealing with men not keeping their word for as long as time then.
I know that one of the most frustrating things that I've ever encountered was when a man didn't keep his word to me. I'm sure that like the men in this movie, those who have let me down before had legitimate reasons, just like I'm sure mine have been legitimate when I've let others down as well. The fact is, we as men, should just keep our words regardless of what the outcome.
The Bible tells us to swear to our own hurt. (Psalm 15:4) Well, that sounds an awful lot like keeping your word when you give it doesn't it? What is different about us as men today, from those here in earlier years? Do we struggle with the same issues that those men of old struggled with? Did a man like Will Andersen have to think whether or not he should keep his word above all else?
I guess this is what was stirred up in my heart the most, the thought that perhaps I just need to "Cowboy Up" and keep my word. This is something that I've been working at teaching my sons, (my daughter as well, because I think girls should keep their word too). I keep asking myself, have I kept my words to my kids? How else will they learn if they don't see me honoring and keeping my words, even when it causes me pain?
Honor my word, keep my word....do what I say, without exception. That's a tall order, but it is one that is able to be kept...Strength and Honor.......
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
What's that all about?
So I'm at work yesterday and today. I'm busily re-running the merchandise in my store so that I can make room for yet another shipment of new stuff that seems to come through my doors like a flood, when in comes a customer. Great, stop what I'm doing, greet them making all the usual small talk to try and engage them in a conversation, you know the basics of selling 101.
The reply is, "No thanks...I'm just looking." So I tell them to let me know if I can help them. Help them, that is what my sole desire in life is....to help others, but do I get to do that on a regular basis? No. And the reason you ask? Because I'm too busy trying to keep the store running.
Whether it is stocking shelves, the sale racks or even trying to work on my store's website, there is always something to do and it's getting me to the place where I want to scream. Now, I'm wanting customers to figure out just what they want, let me sell it to them and get them out so that I can go back to working stock, or making ads or even just trying to clean my desk. (something that hasn't been done in almost 1 1/2 years).
I'm really at my wit's end and don't know what to do about it. Hire someone to help me, yeah sounds good, not in the budget right now. Take a day off, again sounds good, but that only happens on Sundays and about once a month on Saturdays. I just really don't know what I'm gonna do....and then it hits me....just like Jimmy Stewart's character as a young boy does in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" when he sees that sign that says, "Ask dad...he'll know what to do." I think, why don't I ask the Father?
Okay, so now for those of you who are more spiritual than me, a phone call with that information would have been nice....LOL...so I think I'll post this and go ask my Dad what He thinks....because after all He knows what to do.....strength and honor........
The reply is, "No thanks...I'm just looking." So I tell them to let me know if I can help them. Help them, that is what my sole desire in life is....to help others, but do I get to do that on a regular basis? No. And the reason you ask? Because I'm too busy trying to keep the store running.
Whether it is stocking shelves, the sale racks or even trying to work on my store's website, there is always something to do and it's getting me to the place where I want to scream. Now, I'm wanting customers to figure out just what they want, let me sell it to them and get them out so that I can go back to working stock, or making ads or even just trying to clean my desk. (something that hasn't been done in almost 1 1/2 years).
I'm really at my wit's end and don't know what to do about it. Hire someone to help me, yeah sounds good, not in the budget right now. Take a day off, again sounds good, but that only happens on Sundays and about once a month on Saturdays. I just really don't know what I'm gonna do....and then it hits me....just like Jimmy Stewart's character as a young boy does in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" when he sees that sign that says, "Ask dad...he'll know what to do." I think, why don't I ask the Father?
Okay, so now for those of you who are more spiritual than me, a phone call with that information would have been nice....LOL...so I think I'll post this and go ask my Dad what He thinks....because after all He knows what to do.....strength and honor........
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Youngest Son Learns Life Lesson the Hard Way
Today, my youngest son learned one of life's lessons the hard way. We have kittens at our house, and they have reached the stage where they like to climb up inside of our vehicles tires and hide. So we have to count the kittens before we can leave, so as to not accidently kill any of them.
Well today, they kept getting into my truck tires, and my youngest decided to put them in the garage so that when I left for work, they would be safe. While he was doing that, he was closing the garage door (manually, because it's broken). As the door was coming down, Ameile came running out of the garage and my son let go of the garage door and reached for the kitten. When he let go of the door, it began to fall rapidly. Before anyone could do a thing the heavy garage door landed on our little kitten, killing him instantly.
My children were devastated by this, and Noah especially as he was the cause of the little kitten's death. We assured him that it wasn't his fault, that it was just a horrible accident. I went on to tell my other kids to not give him a hard time about this, as he was already feeling awful. That is just what the enemy would like to do, beat him up through the words of his siblings and parents.
I'm saddened by the loss of the kitten, but more so at the innocency of my children. Deaths of pets is a hard thing to take, even if it is the way of life. I hate that a little bit more of my children's innocence has left their hearts. It was a tough lesson for him to learn, but now I hope that he understands just how precious life is and how quickly it can dissapear.
Strength and honor.......
Well today, they kept getting into my truck tires, and my youngest decided to put them in the garage so that when I left for work, they would be safe. While he was doing that, he was closing the garage door (manually, because it's broken). As the door was coming down, Ameile came running out of the garage and my son let go of the garage door and reached for the kitten. When he let go of the door, it began to fall rapidly. Before anyone could do a thing the heavy garage door landed on our little kitten, killing him instantly.
My children were devastated by this, and Noah especially as he was the cause of the little kitten's death. We assured him that it wasn't his fault, that it was just a horrible accident. I went on to tell my other kids to not give him a hard time about this, as he was already feeling awful. That is just what the enemy would like to do, beat him up through the words of his siblings and parents.
I'm saddened by the loss of the kitten, but more so at the innocency of my children. Deaths of pets is a hard thing to take, even if it is the way of life. I hate that a little bit more of my children's innocence has left their hearts. It was a tough lesson for him to learn, but now I hope that he understands just how precious life is and how quickly it can dissapear.
Strength and honor.......
Could this be the secret to life?
I sell shoes for a living. Not a glamours life, but a good, honest living where I get to help people on a daily basis. Today I had a comment from one of my older male customers, one that seems to mostly come from my older customers.
He turned the boot he was looking at over, and said, "You see these grooves? These are almost impossible to get dirt out of before going into the house. Then you've got dirt all over the floor."
Now I ask you, ever in your wildest dreams did you find yourself really giving much thought to dirt in the house? I know that I really didn't. Okay, so maybe if I've sunk up to my ankles in mud, I might leave the shoes in the garage, but on a daily basis do I really spend much time thinking about how much dirt I'm going to leave on the floor? Not really, and here in is where I may have accidently stumbled upon the secret to life.
Are you ready for this? It must be a clean house. I mean if these older customers of mine who are commenting about how much dirt they are tracking into the house and are so concerned with that, then shouldn't I be as well? I mean I am, (according to my mother) suppose to respect and learn from my elders. Maybe they know something that I don't. Maybe that is the secret to a happy and successful life.
I mean, my wife would like for the house to be clean, and stay clean. Does it? No. With three kids and two adults living in the same 1800 square feet, it's an impossiblity that it ever happens with any degree of consistiency. So are we destined to not have a happy life because of the dirt that is on the floor? Absolutely not!
I would take a messy house filled with a loving family over one of perfection and coldness. Life is messy, don't believe me? Try talking to your spouse about things that you want to see changed in your relationship and see if things doesn't get messy. If we are going to engage in other's lives, then there will be times where it will be messy.
Life being messy is not a bad thing. It is where the true life is....it's the journey, not the destination. So I think that a little dirt on the floor, increases the chances that you are having a great experience along the way. So let's don't worry so much with the dirt and just sweep it up when neccessary and have a great life living in a little bit of messiness....strength and honor........
He turned the boot he was looking at over, and said, "You see these grooves? These are almost impossible to get dirt out of before going into the house. Then you've got dirt all over the floor."
Now I ask you, ever in your wildest dreams did you find yourself really giving much thought to dirt in the house? I know that I really didn't. Okay, so maybe if I've sunk up to my ankles in mud, I might leave the shoes in the garage, but on a daily basis do I really spend much time thinking about how much dirt I'm going to leave on the floor? Not really, and here in is where I may have accidently stumbled upon the secret to life.
Are you ready for this? It must be a clean house. I mean if these older customers of mine who are commenting about how much dirt they are tracking into the house and are so concerned with that, then shouldn't I be as well? I mean I am, (according to my mother) suppose to respect and learn from my elders. Maybe they know something that I don't. Maybe that is the secret to a happy and successful life.
I mean, my wife would like for the house to be clean, and stay clean. Does it? No. With three kids and two adults living in the same 1800 square feet, it's an impossiblity that it ever happens with any degree of consistiency. So are we destined to not have a happy life because of the dirt that is on the floor? Absolutely not!
I would take a messy house filled with a loving family over one of perfection and coldness. Life is messy, don't believe me? Try talking to your spouse about things that you want to see changed in your relationship and see if things doesn't get messy. If we are going to engage in other's lives, then there will be times where it will be messy.
Life being messy is not a bad thing. It is where the true life is....it's the journey, not the destination. So I think that a little dirt on the floor, increases the chances that you are having a great experience along the way. So let's don't worry so much with the dirt and just sweep it up when neccessary and have a great life living in a little bit of messiness....strength and honor........
Friday, April 18, 2008
Sleeping with the enemy...or at the very least shackin' up with him
Have you ever found yourself in that place of agreeing and taking sides with the devil? You know, if you have kids and they do something stupid, you're all over them about it. Or you don't like the way things are going at your work or church and you start griping and complaining about it? I mean who's side are we on? Are we fighting for those we love, or are we helping the enemy carry out his plans against them?
My thought here today is to help us see who's side we are on. For instance, we see something that we don't like in our church, so we start to complain to a friend or two, then they tell a friend or two and so on and so on, and before long the enemy really gets a foothold and things aren't as good as they should be.
We are created in the image of God. And one thing that the Bible stresses so very much is the power of our words. We have to pay close attention to what we say, and how we say it. The enemy knows this, and truthfully has no power over us that we don't give him. So what he tries very hard to do is to get us to make agreements with him, saying things that are contradictory to what God's Word says. He learned this lesson at the hands of Jesus in the wilderness only too well. So we have to put a guard on our lips and watch with an intense awareness of what we say.
During World War II, there was a p.r. campaign going on that said, "Loose lips sink ships!" The meaning behind that was to keep people from talking about things that could help the enemy to get a foothold and destroy our men in battle. Well, in case you didn't get the memo, we're in a battle. It's a battle with satan and his cronies. The war has been won, and yes Jesus purchased for us the victory, yet the devil obviously doesn't remember that because he continues to fight against us.
The bible calls him a "roaring lion" seeking whom he may devour. When we agree with his thoughts and words, then he can devour us. But we don't have to be devoured, we can stand against him, because of what Jesus has purchased for us through His death, burial and ressurection. We have but to stand up and face down the enemy. The bible says to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee. I like that word flee...it means to run in terror. I like that, me submitted to God, resisting the devil's attacks and his words and watching him run in terror from me.
So I'm keeping a much closer eye on what I'm saying, and how I'm responding to things in my life. After all, wouldn't it be horrible to find out after this was all said and done that we had in fact been aiding the enemy in the battle instead of standing against him and opposing him at every turn? Strength and honor........and keep your sword tip up.....
My thought here today is to help us see who's side we are on. For instance, we see something that we don't like in our church, so we start to complain to a friend or two, then they tell a friend or two and so on and so on, and before long the enemy really gets a foothold and things aren't as good as they should be.
We are created in the image of God. And one thing that the Bible stresses so very much is the power of our words. We have to pay close attention to what we say, and how we say it. The enemy knows this, and truthfully has no power over us that we don't give him. So what he tries very hard to do is to get us to make agreements with him, saying things that are contradictory to what God's Word says. He learned this lesson at the hands of Jesus in the wilderness only too well. So we have to put a guard on our lips and watch with an intense awareness of what we say.
During World War II, there was a p.r. campaign going on that said, "Loose lips sink ships!" The meaning behind that was to keep people from talking about things that could help the enemy to get a foothold and destroy our men in battle. Well, in case you didn't get the memo, we're in a battle. It's a battle with satan and his cronies. The war has been won, and yes Jesus purchased for us the victory, yet the devil obviously doesn't remember that because he continues to fight against us.
The bible calls him a "roaring lion" seeking whom he may devour. When we agree with his thoughts and words, then he can devour us. But we don't have to be devoured, we can stand against him, because of what Jesus has purchased for us through His death, burial and ressurection. We have but to stand up and face down the enemy. The bible says to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee. I like that word flee...it means to run in terror. I like that, me submitted to God, resisting the devil's attacks and his words and watching him run in terror from me.
So I'm keeping a much closer eye on what I'm saying, and how I'm responding to things in my life. After all, wouldn't it be horrible to find out after this was all said and done that we had in fact been aiding the enemy in the battle instead of standing against him and opposing him at every turn? Strength and honor........and keep your sword tip up.....
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Where did that come from?
You know for several years now, I've been on a search to recover my heart. I'm 44 years old, and I've been born again for over 20 years, but it's just been in the last probably 4 years that I've really been able to access the various compartments of my heart and make sense (sometimes) of them.
To seek and save that which was lost, was the mission that Jesus undertook when He came to Earth. And what was lost was man's heart and the ability to have a deep and intimate relationship with the Father God. So even though I've been saved for all these years, my heart has been pretty beat up and I'm still uncovering areas that haven't been looked into in the deep recesses that only God and I know. And as John Eldredge said in his latest book Walking with God, sometimes God has to sneak up on us and bring us to those places in our heart.
One of those places showed up this morning. My first customer of the day was a refund. A shoe that was purchased 3 months ago, brought back for a refund. Now, my first inclination was to dismiss this customer entirely because he was bringing back the merchandise. I concluded the transaction, with my best "thank you" face, then went to put the shoes back in stock. It was at this point that I really got the most upset.
I found myself muttering and complaining about this guy. Talking to myself, and griping. About 10 steps towards the rack, I stopped and asked myself, "Whoa, where's this coming from?" I also asked the Lord where that was coming from. I mean why can I be super nice when someone is buying something, then not very nice if they bring it back? What's going on in my heart here Father?
This has been an area that I've struggled with for a long many years, probably as long as I've been selling shoes. Now that I think about it, I have been getting torqued about this since I can remember. What is going on here Lord? I heard Him say in my heart that this upsets me because I really don't trust Him like I should. I don't know maybe I feel as if someone returning merchandise for whatever reason is like a report card on how I'm doing. Okay, so where did that come from Father?
So as you can see, there is a lot of unpacking to do here and I'm sure that I'll not figure it all out in a day. It may take a week, month heck even a year or so, who knows? I just know that it is an area that needs attention, and with the Father at my side I will make it.
So I guess my prayer now is; "Thanks Lord for sneaking up on me, and exposing this part of my heart that is not fully holy like You would like it to be. Father me through this time, and help me to see any agreements that I've made that have hindered me in having a fully restored heart in this place. Make me holy, like You are holy in Jesus Name. Amen."
Hang with me folks, the ride is about to get bumpy....strength and honor.....
To seek and save that which was lost, was the mission that Jesus undertook when He came to Earth. And what was lost was man's heart and the ability to have a deep and intimate relationship with the Father God. So even though I've been saved for all these years, my heart has been pretty beat up and I'm still uncovering areas that haven't been looked into in the deep recesses that only God and I know. And as John Eldredge said in his latest book Walking with God, sometimes God has to sneak up on us and bring us to those places in our heart.
One of those places showed up this morning. My first customer of the day was a refund. A shoe that was purchased 3 months ago, brought back for a refund. Now, my first inclination was to dismiss this customer entirely because he was bringing back the merchandise. I concluded the transaction, with my best "thank you" face, then went to put the shoes back in stock. It was at this point that I really got the most upset.
I found myself muttering and complaining about this guy. Talking to myself, and griping. About 10 steps towards the rack, I stopped and asked myself, "Whoa, where's this coming from?" I also asked the Lord where that was coming from. I mean why can I be super nice when someone is buying something, then not very nice if they bring it back? What's going on in my heart here Father?
This has been an area that I've struggled with for a long many years, probably as long as I've been selling shoes. Now that I think about it, I have been getting torqued about this since I can remember. What is going on here Lord? I heard Him say in my heart that this upsets me because I really don't trust Him like I should. I don't know maybe I feel as if someone returning merchandise for whatever reason is like a report card on how I'm doing. Okay, so where did that come from Father?
So as you can see, there is a lot of unpacking to do here and I'm sure that I'll not figure it all out in a day. It may take a week, month heck even a year or so, who knows? I just know that it is an area that needs attention, and with the Father at my side I will make it.
So I guess my prayer now is; "Thanks Lord for sneaking up on me, and exposing this part of my heart that is not fully holy like You would like it to be. Father me through this time, and help me to see any agreements that I've made that have hindered me in having a fully restored heart in this place. Make me holy, like You are holy in Jesus Name. Amen."
Hang with me folks, the ride is about to get bumpy....strength and honor.....
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Children...or Learning Patience God's Way
Patience...it's a word that I'm becoming very familiar with lately. And it's not as if I woke one morning very spiritual and decided that I should start my journey with the Father about learing it either. No more realistically, it was that I have been thrust into this just by being alive and having three children living under my roof, all of whom have entered into that season of life known as the teenage years. (truth be told, my youngest is not quite 12, but is a teenager in every aspect except the actual number of years)
Now don't get me wrong, I love my children and would gladly give my life for each and every one of them. (please don't tell them that, they may take me up on it) It just seems that the more I try to teach them, the more that I realize where the poser is in me. You know the poser, that part of each of us that acts like we have it all together, when in actuality we are just hoping that no one finds out we don't, and exposes us. We all have one, and that is the part of us that we are told to die to daily.
I find that the more I correct my children in the every day aspects of life, the more correction that I need in myself. Maybe when discipling takes place, this is what parents mean when they tell their children, "This is going to hurt me a whole lot more than it will you." I know that as I'm instrucing my children in the ways that they should go, it seems that my Heavenly Father is instructing me as well.
This has brought one area of patience to my life...and that is to be more patient with my children. I have been thinking alot about how the Father corrects me, and how that makes me feel. You see when God corrects us, what He has in mind is our best interests. He wants the best for us, so when we are in an area that is in need of correction, whatever He does He is doing for our benefit.
What that has taught me, is to ask myself, "What is this going to do to my sons or daughter when I correct them?" Will the correction bring, understanding and peace, or will it bring judgement and division? God has never once corrected me and I felt like I was ever being judged for my actions. On the contrary, what I have always felt was that I was loved after it was over. Now, in all honesty I can't always say that my children would answer that way concerning me when I correct them.
I know that on more than one occasion I've been the judgemental jerk who used his tongue to lash them till they were beaten down. (something I'm not proud of, and have made ammends to each of my children for as well) What I have learned is that whenever I verbally attack my kids like that, it is almost as if I'm agreeing with the enemy about what he is telling them already. Now how is that for a Christian father? Aligning myself with the enemy of my children, all in the name of bringing them up into a better walk with Christ.
The enemy would like nothing better than for us to help him with his game. I have had to see that for what it's worth, repent of ever doing that to my children and break the agreements that I've made with the enemy over my children and then make new agreements with the Father about them. You make agreements with the Father by saying what His Word says about your kids. And we need to do that, where they can actually hear it....include them in our time of prayer as often as possible, and with teenagers it can get tough to find the time.
The one thing that I will say about having 3 teenagers in the house, is that I never lack for the opportunity to learn about patience. No matter what is going on, I always make time for my kids to tell me about their day and then speak positive things into their hearts. They have after all been entrusted to me by the Father, and that is a huge responsibility that I don't take lightly. Dads, love your kids and show them often....before you know it they will be leaving the house and you'll be wishing you had the opportunity to tell them more....strength and honor.....
Now don't get me wrong, I love my children and would gladly give my life for each and every one of them. (please don't tell them that, they may take me up on it) It just seems that the more I try to teach them, the more that I realize where the poser is in me. You know the poser, that part of each of us that acts like we have it all together, when in actuality we are just hoping that no one finds out we don't, and exposes us. We all have one, and that is the part of us that we are told to die to daily.
I find that the more I correct my children in the every day aspects of life, the more correction that I need in myself. Maybe when discipling takes place, this is what parents mean when they tell their children, "This is going to hurt me a whole lot more than it will you." I know that as I'm instrucing my children in the ways that they should go, it seems that my Heavenly Father is instructing me as well.
This has brought one area of patience to my life...and that is to be more patient with my children. I have been thinking alot about how the Father corrects me, and how that makes me feel. You see when God corrects us, what He has in mind is our best interests. He wants the best for us, so when we are in an area that is in need of correction, whatever He does He is doing for our benefit.
What that has taught me, is to ask myself, "What is this going to do to my sons or daughter when I correct them?" Will the correction bring, understanding and peace, or will it bring judgement and division? God has never once corrected me and I felt like I was ever being judged for my actions. On the contrary, what I have always felt was that I was loved after it was over. Now, in all honesty I can't always say that my children would answer that way concerning me when I correct them.
I know that on more than one occasion I've been the judgemental jerk who used his tongue to lash them till they were beaten down. (something I'm not proud of, and have made ammends to each of my children for as well) What I have learned is that whenever I verbally attack my kids like that, it is almost as if I'm agreeing with the enemy about what he is telling them already. Now how is that for a Christian father? Aligning myself with the enemy of my children, all in the name of bringing them up into a better walk with Christ.
The enemy would like nothing better than for us to help him with his game. I have had to see that for what it's worth, repent of ever doing that to my children and break the agreements that I've made with the enemy over my children and then make new agreements with the Father about them. You make agreements with the Father by saying what His Word says about your kids. And we need to do that, where they can actually hear it....include them in our time of prayer as often as possible, and with teenagers it can get tough to find the time.
The one thing that I will say about having 3 teenagers in the house, is that I never lack for the opportunity to learn about patience. No matter what is going on, I always make time for my kids to tell me about their day and then speak positive things into their hearts. They have after all been entrusted to me by the Father, and that is a huge responsibility that I don't take lightly. Dads, love your kids and show them often....before you know it they will be leaving the house and you'll be wishing you had the opportunity to tell them more....strength and honor.....
Heaven Bound?
You know one day I was talking with some friends, and one of them said something along the lines of, "Won't it be great when we get to Heaven?" Then we all began to talk about what we knew of Heaven, and how it will definitely be a great place to hang out.
As I pondered the conversation later that week, I began to think about how over the years that whenever I would tell people about Jesus, and talk to them of the salvation that He offers, I would always relay the information about Heaven and Hell. It would usually go something like this, "Don't you want to go to Heaven instead of Hell? If you do, then all you have to do is pray this prayer and accept Jesus, then you will be Heaven bound." Then I would lead them in the sinner's prayer, and begin to rejoice that another lost soul was bound for Heaven.
I want to say right here and now, "I'm sorry that I've ever done that." I can almost hear you shouting, "What?!?" Let me explain what I mean...I'm sorry that I've ever cheapened the Gospel by leading people to believe that getting saved was for the sole benefit of going to Heaven...only.
You see, in Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus is saying that His purpose for coming to the Earth is to seek and save "that" which was lost. Well, we have to ask ourselves here, what was lost? Man's heart, and ability to have a relationship with the Father God. So then, the whole purpose for Jesus coming to Earth, was to bring us back into relationship with the Father.
When I think about how God, the maker of Heaven and Earth, wants to have a personal relationship with me, well I've got to tell you that that just about blows my mind. I could maybe understand that He knows who I am, and maybe has even kind of spent a few hours mapping out my life’s course, but that He wants to spend time with me every day? That takes some time to wrap your brain around.
I guess that in all reality, we really are Heaven bound if we've accepted Jesus offer (found in Romans 10:9-10), but what are we waiting for? I mean God the Father of all creation wants to have a relationship with us right now. I don’t know about you, but for me…I’m gonna get busy building my relationship with Him now, instead of waiting till I get to Heaven…..strength and honor……….
As I pondered the conversation later that week, I began to think about how over the years that whenever I would tell people about Jesus, and talk to them of the salvation that He offers, I would always relay the information about Heaven and Hell. It would usually go something like this, "Don't you want to go to Heaven instead of Hell? If you do, then all you have to do is pray this prayer and accept Jesus, then you will be Heaven bound." Then I would lead them in the sinner's prayer, and begin to rejoice that another lost soul was bound for Heaven.
I want to say right here and now, "I'm sorry that I've ever done that." I can almost hear you shouting, "What?!?" Let me explain what I mean...I'm sorry that I've ever cheapened the Gospel by leading people to believe that getting saved was for the sole benefit of going to Heaven...only.
You see, in Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus is saying that His purpose for coming to the Earth is to seek and save "that" which was lost. Well, we have to ask ourselves here, what was lost? Man's heart, and ability to have a relationship with the Father God. So then, the whole purpose for Jesus coming to Earth, was to bring us back into relationship with the Father.
When I think about how God, the maker of Heaven and Earth, wants to have a personal relationship with me, well I've got to tell you that that just about blows my mind. I could maybe understand that He knows who I am, and maybe has even kind of spent a few hours mapping out my life’s course, but that He wants to spend time with me every day? That takes some time to wrap your brain around.
I guess that in all reality, we really are Heaven bound if we've accepted Jesus offer (found in Romans 10:9-10), but what are we waiting for? I mean God the Father of all creation wants to have a relationship with us right now. I don’t know about you, but for me…I’m gonna get busy building my relationship with Him now, instead of waiting till I get to Heaven…..strength and honor……….
Monday, April 14, 2008
What's in my heart?
The sun is shining outside, but what is in my heart? Is it the sunshine, or clouds? Do I choose to be positive or negative today? After all, that is the one thing that God has given each of us isn't it, the power of choice?
As I open my shoe store today, what will my first customer be like? Will I be helpful to them, or will I choose to be self-absorbed to the point where I'm no help at all? The choice is mine. (It is actually 3 hours after I opened my store, and I chose to help my customers)
So while I could do like that Carrie Underwood song "Jesus Take the Wheel" says, "Jesus take the wheel..." and leave it all up to Him, that is not what I see written in the Bible. It says that I have the power of life and death in my tongue. I have the power of life and death, not Jesus has the power of life and death. So that tells me that I have a part to play in this day to day story that is my life.
Besides, if I let Jesus take the wheel so to speak, and things don't work out so well in my day, it sets me up to believe that God's heart towards me is possibly not good. But if I take ownership of how my day is going to be, then my walk with the Father God is good no matter what kind of day I have.
Just some thoughts....so strength and honor....
As I open my shoe store today, what will my first customer be like? Will I be helpful to them, or will I choose to be self-absorbed to the point where I'm no help at all? The choice is mine. (It is actually 3 hours after I opened my store, and I chose to help my customers)
So while I could do like that Carrie Underwood song "Jesus Take the Wheel" says, "Jesus take the wheel..." and leave it all up to Him, that is not what I see written in the Bible. It says that I have the power of life and death in my tongue. I have the power of life and death, not Jesus has the power of life and death. So that tells me that I have a part to play in this day to day story that is my life.
Besides, if I let Jesus take the wheel so to speak, and things don't work out so well in my day, it sets me up to believe that God's heart towards me is possibly not good. But if I take ownership of how my day is going to be, then my walk with the Father God is good no matter what kind of day I have.
Just some thoughts....so strength and honor....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Grey Days in the Kingdom
As followers of Christ, we have an incredible Father who loves us very much. We have access to Him anytime that we need Him, and He has provided for everything we may ever have need of. He knows our beginning from our end, and only has good for us.
Okay, so if that's the case why is it that some times I feel that I'm living in grey days in His Kingdom? I pray, but the words seem to just fall back to earth. I read God's Word but it seems to leave as quickly as it enters into my thoughts. I speak words of love and affection to my Father, yet He seems elusive. What's that all about?
I think I found the answer, and in the most unlikely of places, The Lord of the Rings. In the great battle that took place on the Pelanor fields, before Sauron's troops could lay seige to the capitol city of Minas Tirith he had to take Osgiliath. And before that could be achieved, he had to cover the land with a haze to blot out the sun. After all, most of his evil minions couldn't move in the daylight. It was here that I found the truth of this greyness.
The enemy that we face, the devil, you remember that guy that goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Well his works are dark, and it seems to me that these grey days of the Kingdom might just be him at work trying to block out the "Son" Jesus. If he can keep the light of the glorious Gospel from shining, then his demons have room to manuever.
So then, we see the enemy at work, what are we to do? It is at this point we must make our stand. We have to cover ourselves in the blood of Jesus, dress ourselves in the armour of God and draw our sword and charge the fields like the Rohirram charged Pelanor fields. Don't wait for the enemy to come you, charge the fields take the battle to him and you will see the grey days of the Kingdom fade into the glorious light of our Lord and Saviour.
Strength and honor.....
Okay, so if that's the case why is it that some times I feel that I'm living in grey days in His Kingdom? I pray, but the words seem to just fall back to earth. I read God's Word but it seems to leave as quickly as it enters into my thoughts. I speak words of love and affection to my Father, yet He seems elusive. What's that all about?
I think I found the answer, and in the most unlikely of places, The Lord of the Rings. In the great battle that took place on the Pelanor fields, before Sauron's troops could lay seige to the capitol city of Minas Tirith he had to take Osgiliath. And before that could be achieved, he had to cover the land with a haze to blot out the sun. After all, most of his evil minions couldn't move in the daylight. It was here that I found the truth of this greyness.
The enemy that we face, the devil, you remember that guy that goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Well his works are dark, and it seems to me that these grey days of the Kingdom might just be him at work trying to block out the "Son" Jesus. If he can keep the light of the glorious Gospel from shining, then his demons have room to manuever.
So then, we see the enemy at work, what are we to do? It is at this point we must make our stand. We have to cover ourselves in the blood of Jesus, dress ourselves in the armour of God and draw our sword and charge the fields like the Rohirram charged Pelanor fields. Don't wait for the enemy to come you, charge the fields take the battle to him and you will see the grey days of the Kingdom fade into the glorious light of our Lord and Saviour.
Strength and honor.....
Is it strange that I enjoy being alone?
It is now just about time for me to go home, pick up my oldest son and race off to Sand Springs to take him to Praise & Worship practice. It will be a couple of hours of waiting and reading a book. Truth be told, it is something that I actually look forward to, because it gives me an hour or so to just be by myself, something that happens less and less now that my three children are growing up. Don't get me wrong, having a family is an awesome thing, and something that I would never change, but I really do enjoy my time alone with my thoughts.
I just got the latest book by John Eldredge, "Walking with God" www.walkingwithgod.net and it is phenominal. It is really an awesome read, and I have decided after finishing it yesterday morning that I would start reading it again and working in the study guide. So tonight will find me with my book, study guide and journal and a cup of coffee....and we'll see where that takes me. I'm really enjoying my conversations with God, so tonight's alone time probably won't really be alone.
I just got the latest book by John Eldredge, "Walking with God" www.walkingwithgod.net and it is phenominal. It is really an awesome read, and I have decided after finishing it yesterday morning that I would start reading it again and working in the study guide. So tonight will find me with my book, study guide and journal and a cup of coffee....and we'll see where that takes me. I'm really enjoying my conversations with God, so tonight's alone time probably won't really be alone.
Movie Soundtracks....The Motion Of My Life
What music inspires you? For me, it's always been movie soundtracks. Not the kind of soundtracks that use contemporary music, but the actual movie scores. There is something about all those instruments blending together that just sets my creative juices flowing.
For the last few weeks, I've been praying a prayer that I got on CD from the Ransomed Heart Ministries. www.ransomedheart.com It's called the "Morning Prayer", and it really helps to center me in the knowledge of who I am in Christ, and what I can do in Christ for the day. I usually listen to it on my Oakley "Thumps" http://oakley.com/pd/4685/15319 while I'm on my way to work . Right after the Morning Prayer finishes playing on my Thumps there is a song from Pirates of the Caribbean ~ At World's End soundtrack called "Up is Down".
There is something about this song that makes me want to rise up and face the day with a renewed sense of vigor. The music playing makes me want to draw my sword and face down the enemies that would assail my heart. Those foul spirits that want to steal my joy and cause my potential in Christ to not be at it's fullest.
You know those spirits, those little foxes that do nothing but try and spoil the vine so to speak. The thoughts that come throughout the day saying, "What you're doing doesn't matter." "You'll never be able to accomplish what Jesus wants you to." "Why would anyone want to be your friend?" Those lies, that while they may seem true at the moment, in the Light of the Gospel we know are really just that....lies.
While there is probably nothing super spiritual in listening to soundtracks, they do tend to motivate me to a better place in Christ, and that I guess is not all that bad....so, if you don't own any soundtracks, may I suggest you go out and buy some and see what they stir up in you.
Remember, fight against the darkness, it's our destiny to work with Jesus to destroy the works of the enemy, and bring deliverance to the captive hearts....and in the words of a great leader Leonidas, "Strength and Honor"!
For the last few weeks, I've been praying a prayer that I got on CD from the Ransomed Heart Ministries. www.ransomedheart.com It's called the "Morning Prayer", and it really helps to center me in the knowledge of who I am in Christ, and what I can do in Christ for the day. I usually listen to it on my Oakley "Thumps" http://oakley.com/pd/4685/15319 while I'm on my way to work . Right after the Morning Prayer finishes playing on my Thumps there is a song from Pirates of the Caribbean ~ At World's End soundtrack called "Up is Down".
There is something about this song that makes me want to rise up and face the day with a renewed sense of vigor. The music playing makes me want to draw my sword and face down the enemies that would assail my heart. Those foul spirits that want to steal my joy and cause my potential in Christ to not be at it's fullest.
You know those spirits, those little foxes that do nothing but try and spoil the vine so to speak. The thoughts that come throughout the day saying, "What you're doing doesn't matter." "You'll never be able to accomplish what Jesus wants you to." "Why would anyone want to be your friend?" Those lies, that while they may seem true at the moment, in the Light of the Gospel we know are really just that....lies.
While there is probably nothing super spiritual in listening to soundtracks, they do tend to motivate me to a better place in Christ, and that I guess is not all that bad....so, if you don't own any soundtracks, may I suggest you go out and buy some and see what they stir up in you.
Remember, fight against the darkness, it's our destiny to work with Jesus to destroy the works of the enemy, and bring deliverance to the captive hearts....and in the words of a great leader Leonidas, "Strength and Honor"!
Monday, February 18, 2008
When did I lose it, and where did it go?
Sitting at a reception party for a friend's oldest daughter who had just gotten married, I was struck with a profound thought while watching a bunch of little kids on the dance floor.
When did I lose the ability to live in the moment, and not worry what anyone thought? I watched a little 2 year old lady named Ella shaking her groove thing to various different songs, and as she danced, some older boys would try some fancy dance move and she would imitate it. There was no reservation about her, she was truly living in the moment, and didn't care what anyone else thought, (even though she did want her mom & dad to see her) as I watched this, I thought this is a wonderful thing to see.
It got me to thinking about my own life, and where I have begun to to hold back, and as I thought about that, I wondered why exactly do I hold back? I mean do you ever think about the things that you do? Do you just push forward, without any regards to what people will think about you? I know that I talk a good game, and truthfully I don't really care what people think of me, but do I really mean it?
I felt like dancing that night, and have felt that way on several occasions, but have always just talked myself out of it. Why is that? If I truly don't care what people think, why wouldn't I just get out there and dance? Why can I not seem to live in the moment, when really at the core of who I am I want to? It's kinda like Paul said in the Bible (and I'm paraphrasing here) the things that I want to do, I don't and the things I don't want to do, I do...oh wicked man that I am.....
Does this ever happen to you? What do you do to over come it?
When did I lose the ability to live in the moment, and not worry what anyone thought? I watched a little 2 year old lady named Ella shaking her groove thing to various different songs, and as she danced, some older boys would try some fancy dance move and she would imitate it. There was no reservation about her, she was truly living in the moment, and didn't care what anyone else thought, (even though she did want her mom & dad to see her) as I watched this, I thought this is a wonderful thing to see.
It got me to thinking about my own life, and where I have begun to to hold back, and as I thought about that, I wondered why exactly do I hold back? I mean do you ever think about the things that you do? Do you just push forward, without any regards to what people will think about you? I know that I talk a good game, and truthfully I don't really care what people think of me, but do I really mean it?
I felt like dancing that night, and have felt that way on several occasions, but have always just talked myself out of it. Why is that? If I truly don't care what people think, why wouldn't I just get out there and dance? Why can I not seem to live in the moment, when really at the core of who I am I want to? It's kinda like Paul said in the Bible (and I'm paraphrasing here) the things that I want to do, I don't and the things I don't want to do, I do...oh wicked man that I am.....
Does this ever happen to you? What do you do to over come it?
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