Thursday, December 29, 2011

Celebrating my Odessa; we've had a wonderful wedding anniversary

How I love you, for trusting that time and God's plan would weave you together with me, hand in hand
How I love you, for waiting the winding moments through, knowing in time I'd be with you
How I love thee, for pushing aside other options, you loved me alone, saw the day of our nuptials
How I love thee, for daring to seize this clergyman's hand, embracing a future precarious, precipitous, others-centered and grand
How I love thee for resonating a joy that's in reach, you happy hurting hearts with your laughter that heals
Your simplicity yet self-belief allow you to spread healing 
On considering other options, you gave alone gave my life meaning
Your kindness and innocence separated you from the crowd
You will to see His face, be a mirror of God
Your life gives a sheer glimpse of joy lightening duty
You do your work with head wit, but heart grace is your story
As a mother you transfer an in-touch picture of God, above yet in reach, He's a God we can hold 
You lighten the lives of those, meeting yours lost in their shadows 
You pour healing oil into their murky mud puddles
You immerse me daily in your radiant, sweet smile, you add luster to my life through the madness of life's miles
You simplify me in my sophistication, ease my frustration
Run me playfully through our house, tickling me till it hurts
You encourage me each moment with your heart that believes 
You trust in our future, you believe God is for me 
Your passion to live true to His change in you is infectious
As others follow, they'll glow as they relish His radiance
A life, aglow and alive, you luminesce His love
Your hearty, rich life is a gift from above.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Un-Complicate through contentment to seize the season

Christmas time is a period of paradoxes. What we thought would happen didn't; what did happen surprised us. God made Christmas a time to reorient us and reaffirm His way, where we live with the needs of other as focal, not our own. It's humorous that many times the costliest gift brings the least pleasure; the most fun toy gets ditched for its packing box; we get greater joy from giving to others than from receiving the very things we relished. I believe God meant Christmas to be a time of contrasts. This time makes us understand what God deems important. In short, Christmas is meant to simplify our lives. By year end, we tend to become more demanding and more complicated. You may notice that with each passing Christmas, things go more and more not the way we planned. God's great concern is that we live our moments with preparation but with simplicity. Because He knows how prone we are to pride and over-sophistication; He ensures things don't go our way again and again to keep us filled with child-like glee and grace over his surprises, wholly content with a life of trust in Him. It's amazing how better we're able to relate with others and rain happiness  into their lives by choosing the causeway of ongoing transparency and simple beauty. God appeared a Babe, a lesson in contrast. A Babe, a little boy-talk about burnt expectations. Through the Babe, the One depending on a 13 year old for His very livelihood, we gain a pixilated picture of the life God intends for us. We need never grow out of walking with God for our existence, joy, fulfillment, and our needs. The moment we start holding our own is when God moves to empty our life fridge, forcing us to trust Him implicitly to provide our need. Un-complicate is God's call; allow the disappointments and surprises of this season to place you in the fetal position, dependent on God, alive only through total trust in Him.

The designated gift wrapper and Gift who made all the difference

In every family, there is one special agent who has the title "designated gift wrapper." In my family, I've achieved this rank through no merit of my own but by God's grace. Seriously, if my wife could she'd buy gift cards only as presents and make me wrap my own, pysch?! An earnest look above through the mirror of The Book displays heaven's designed wrapper Christ, coming wrapped a Babe. He came to experience humanity in its gain and pain. Yes, He came to bear the mockery and reproach of false friends, to shoulder the load of human failure-past, present, and future; but in His heart He had to experience life first as a helpless, blissful baby. Christ was the only designated wrapper and Gift (don't try this at home) worthy to die in our stead and give life eternal. He came on His own-a Baby-knowing apart from His Gift man would stand bare and broken before God. His Gift was accepted by the Father so that our trust in Him, the only worthy Gift, would guarantee our acceptance into a living, transforming relationship with God, let it begin, let it begin... Take time today and tomorrow to thank Him for trading the red carpet treatment of heaven for life as a fugitive for most of His earthly pilgrimage. His miracles may have made for fleeting rock-star status with the masses; but with the "well-churched"  Pharisees He was still enemy One. His time as a baby turned quickly to  the blood, sweat, and tears of forming followers as He  poured Himself into His chosen twelve. His status marginalized Him from the masses, prodding Him to prayerfully minister to His heartbeat, Israel, you, and me in solitary retreat. He contemplated Calvary more than ever as His status made for more alone time with His Father. He truly experienced life in  its highs and lows. He came a willing Gift but experienced life its full fury to rescue a sinner like me. Now, knowing our pain He remains the Gift that keeps giving, empathy-infused and focused on filling our needs. I trust you'll either begin a relationship with Him or continue to know the encouragement which follows our knowing He knows our pain,  lived it, and is capable to carry us merrily to Glory on eagle's wings. Merry Christmas, my glass is raised to your having a dream-drenched, prayer-bolstered new year. 

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Winning World War Me starts with me and continues only through the support of others

Life is designed to help us lose confidence in our power to live it on our own. At the saddle of our lives is Christ's rightful place, where He leads and moves us into the more He has for us. At Massah and Meribah, God allowed the parched throats of the children of Israel to help move them past their quarreling unbelief into quiet confidence in His care. Later, when fronted by the children of Amalek; they would come to terms with their primary struggle in life, overcoming their own sinful flesh, a lesson pictured in the battle which ensued.
It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. Exodus 17:11 (The Message) 
We're powerless to win World War Me, without our hands and hearts raised to God in prayer, heart expectation that God will move to meet our needs. Israel pummeled Amalek when Moses' hands were raised to God in trust. Interestingly, Moses was unable to keep His arms raised to heaven for help by himself. He needed the support of those near him, because prayer is not mere preparation for the battle, it is where the battle is won. Winning World War You begins with our prayerful trust in God's power but continues only with the prayerful support of others woven into our journey as our trust wanes weekly. Scripture teaches that our daily victory is a team effort, we need others believing God with us for what God alone can do. How imperative it is then that we live with hand and heart raised to God, believing Him for grace to live above our sinful inclinations. But of greater importance is our need to surround ourselves weekly with a core of Christ followers, who rally  us to remain confident in God's power to live the daily victory in His plan for us.

Monday, December 5, 2011

It's all in your perspective

The challenge of living oft times is keeping the right perspective; as perspective is ultra-important to a painter, it is essential as we seek to live life in the equilibrium God's ever-present Spirit provides. Israel's journey into freedom from Eqyptian captivity was nothing short of a roller coaster ride as is our lives. Leaving Egypt, Egypt knew exhilaration as they left with much loot; their new iPads, Kindles, and XBoxes reminded them God cared enough to provide their needs and wants. But without warning, in the shadows were 600 of Pharoah's elite warriors huffing and puffing and ready to return Israel to slave labor. Quick to complain, they decried Moses for robbing them a better burial place, saying Egypt had enough fair-sized cemeteries. Why did he have to play with their emotions, giving them false hope of freedom as two million strong they neared the moving waters of the Red Sea. Their move from renewed faith  to primal fear was spawned by their failure to remember the One behind the different seasons of their  lives. God would mercifully move them beyond the boundary of the Red Sea, burying Pharoah's faithful behind them. Again, they knew exhilaration; but a lesson unlearned is a lesson to be relearned. Soon they neared Marah and felt the parched dry of life in the wilderness. When they reached for water they found it bitter. In God's plan they experienced the flip side of exhilaration-exhaustion. Marah waters were bitter; soon the thirsty turned angry, blaming Moses, the religious way to blame God. At Marah, they'd learn a timely lesson, for the stream that was bitter was made better by a tree, when the tree was placed into it. Calvary's tree is where we find renewal, for there our perspective is enlightened and we view life for what it is a beautiful roller coaster ride with highs and lows designed to make us a people of Spirit-infused equilibrium. God is behind your journey. With this perspective even your failings will make sense as you feel what they've made you. I hope this encounter with God takes you from wandering and worry to wistful trust in a God, who hand-crafted your destiny before you were a thought. To make you all you can be, He has to invade your life with blessings and burdens to better you. Know that Marah is just part of the dessert road to Elim. After Marah's lesson, Israel would know rest and renewal at Elim where water was bountiful and jacuzzis plenty. Bear your Marah today; find glee as you ride life's roller coaster, through exhilaration, exhaustion, and all in between. God is at the engine of our life, engineering you through your experiences. Your perspective of your life means everything; it'll determine your disposition through plenty, through pain. 
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

Monday, November 28, 2011

Recovery re-imagined transports us to Christ's empty tomb with 3D glasses

I've woken today to the wonder of what Christ's resurrection means. True it is the season where we remember His coming; but in His coming we find the seed of His giving, enabling life. Christ gave Himself once for all; His death on Calvary was a forecast of His resurrection to come, for the God-man could not be held by death. When He rose from the dead, the gateway to personal recovery was opened for all see, feel, and relish. Scripture helps us re-imagine recovery through God's eyes. God's road to recovery begins in our choice to stand broken by the cross then run strong in the unchained power of His resurrection. It's time we re-image recovery. All of us find ourselves held by chains. Whether we're floored by pride or personal excess; Resurrection Road is a throughway we must traverse weekly if we're to live free from what easily binds. A ready view of the resurrection proves life-altering and empowering. By its nature, Christ's resurrection was immediate and transforming. The stillness of death was lost in the untethered brightness and true Glory of God, alive. Everything changed when Christ rose alive. The church would find its fuse to turn a stone-hearted world upside down; for the the curse of death was reversed as Christ knew restored life by fulfilling His Father's mission. 
As Christ's living His Father's mission was a guarantee of favor and power: your living your Father's mission is a grant of favor and power in your living. Faith alone in the resurrection power of Christ is a sure pathway to recovery today. As Christ stepped from death's darkness into the excitement and expectancy of the coming Church Age;  we must step out of darkness into the new beginnings in God's choosing for us.  Each step down Resurrection Road begins with belief in what Christ did, which bears further down our road to recovery. As we feel the story of how Christ's trust in His Father's mission raised Him to new heights of life and restored glory; we'll feel our potential to relive that power daily. The resurrection power of Christ is our only sufficient reserve of strength and grace to walk in victory. When we lose sight of this all-important reserve, choosing instead to man life on our own; our strength fails and we're reduced to reliance on His resurrection power, which alone can save. Will you begin broken at the cross then feel Christ's quality life replace your lostness as you choose to live again.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The good, grateful life is God living through us

An honest appraisal of the lost and  Christian world leads us to a sad realization. Many roam as strangers craving release.

and say to him, 'God, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you with this message, "Release my people so that they can worship me in the wilderness." So far you haven't listened. Exodus 7:16

We live in a world on the run where the desire to have more, be more, and do more dominates. The pull to mirror modern-day ways lures many into living to impress. This lure tends to bring with it financial, relational, and spiritual luggage, which scar irreparably.  Release me is the silent cry of many in search of the good life, particularly in urban areas. 
The cry is the same in Christians. Quickly we forget our status and stature as citizens of a better country, heaven, falling rather for the glitz and fancies of this life. In our passion to reach others through the River running through us, God, and our relevant lives; we oft get enchanted by the world's Turkish Delight, allowing its treats to hook us. Believers also fall under the "doing" spell where they forget the secret of authenticity, a life knit with God, which overflows in passionate heart and help to a lost world. Not careful we settle instead for the "right path," living defined by our fidelity to Christ's commands and our call to service. Though this is necessary, without the backdrop of a relationship with Christ, which runs deep; our service will be be loveless, self-serving, and fleeting.
Release me is the recurring cry of many desiring to stay current. 
Renew me becomes the cry of those opting to do God's will and work their way.
The fix to wrongful enchantment in unbeliever and believer,alike, the fountain the believer lost in "Martha Syndrome" craves is found in Jesus.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 ESV
Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Matthew 11:29  MSG
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:30 MSG
Find your fix and fountain of fulfillment today in the reservoir of a  personal relationship with Jesus.
We can graduate into thankful, selfless living if we'll allow our souls  to tap and touch the refreshment ours in Christ.
As Christ is given free rein to live His life through us the rest is history.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Thrive at what you do though it isn't what you planned to do

Most would agree that we spend most of lives doing something we didn't see ourselves doing. The challenge of our lives then is to do what God deals us heartily and creatively regardless of our feelings regarding what we do. The Tim Tebow story has riveted me. How about Timmy taking it to the Jets last night. His story resonates with me in a special way because I share his belief system as a fellow Christian. Tim could easily have been a tight end or wide receiver in the NFL, but time proved that he'd be a quarterback in high school, through college, and remarkably now as a Denver Bronco. As a quarterback, Tim is unorthodox and lacks the fine-tuned pocket presence and throwing motion, which define greats like Elway. Heart and will trump ability most days. As we struggle with what we do daily, wishing at times we were doing something more in keeping with our gifting; we need to wear an attitude of willingness accepting our present calling. I'm thankful Tim didn't choose to moan his lack of pure throwing motion or his disinclination to even throw the ball; Tim knows he thrives best when he accepts the gifts, specially granted him by God, using them to man his life mission. It's the same with us, it's not where you are in life but what you do about where you are. We can choose to live the poor outlook of most, living wishing we were more gifted at what we do or we can bloom where we're planted, growing where we are. To thrive in life will require our being content with our God-given place in life. Live and grow where God has you now and find yourself a thriving, normal person others want to emulate.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Close to Grace, we can live gainfully in a true garden state

Magical, whimsical, enrapturing are the words that capture the bliss felt around a couple, who live in true union each day. God created man to spill over with the joy close union with Him brings. Somehow in Eden Adam and Eve disdained the gain God gifted them in His rich grace by their carnal curiosity, tasting of the wrong tree, a mistake, which damned man to eternal  loss "were it not for Grace." Glee and innocent sheen radiated from Adam and Eve as they traversed the garden living true to God's goodness; but when they failed to treasure their true union with God failure quickly followed. Grace provides us the privilege of gain, life in the true garden state. It's a state where intimacy with Christ shows itself in innocence-pure, uninhibited freedom. Adam and Eve's fail in the garden was not true reality; it was anything but God's design for man. Thankfully, Grace wasn't trumped by their failure and grace flowed from the Second Adam, Christ, Who redeemed us; restoring us the possibility of intimacy with God. As Adam and Eve lived loss, when they got away from living overtaken by the gift, the game-changer Grace is; we too need to treasure God's grace and live in the garden state that is Grace. The garden state is a place of intimate union with Christ, where close to Him love, purity, and strength permeates through us. As a close couple lives unashamed, fulfilled, and free in their mutual union; our call is to live changed by the innocence knowing God brings. Our lives too can be a garden and wellspring of enrichment to others as we feature Grace
daily, allowing it to be the guidepost in all we are. Live in the true garden state today.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

There's a secret to strengthening your witness

      
An eye-opening reality has overwhelmed me lately. After served for years in contexts, where your first focus in interacting with others was finding out where they'd spend their eternity; I often lost sight of how needy the world was around me. In my passion to "save men from the burning"; I often glossed over their need, believing their placing their trust in Christ was first and foundational to their needs being met. But is this so? A close look at the ministries of Jesus and Paul shows how easily we get the cart before the horse. Their ministries were geared to the needs-material, emotional, and spiritual- of the people around them. The reality is that people generally need to feel our compassion first before they can be gripped with the cold truth that they are in jeopardy of eternal judgement. As we feel the compassion of Christ-healing and helping-the heartbeat of Paul to-not neglecting the poor and needy-our hearts are turned toward the needy masses, who flock our society. Helpless widows; homeless former successes, and unloved children roam our roadways-sheep needing to feel the touch of us, His hands and feet. I'm all for the Gospel message spilling out of us regularly and clearly, for many times, accepted, it helps people climb out of their crises; but just giving the Gospel proves many times the easy way. The challenge of Christian living is not telling the Gospel message but radiating it in ways, which stir others to trust its truth and go on to radiate the reality of its truth. Our challenge is to assume a posture of surrender to the way of the Master, meeting the needs of those around us, Who was inclined to first touch others with the Gospel before He talk about its potential impact.
He picks up the poor from out of the dirt, rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash, Seats them among the honored guests, a place of honor among the brightest and best.  Ps. 113:7,8 (The Message)
"I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it." ~ Thomas Aquinas

Monday, November 7, 2011

Are you a "God-chaser" or just plain elusive

As Christians we've been given freedom at great cost. The cross was nothing short of guaranteed liberty to please God. However in intentionally seeking to please God, many set unreasonable standards by which they and others will please God, leading an unbelieving world to see Christianity as cold religion and not life-changing relationship. Brought into freedom in Christ, it is tempting to not see freedom in Christ for how full-orbed it is. It's not just freedom to fulfill Christ's demands but freedom to relish life in its beauty and fulness, freedom to know blessing and bless others as we live "under rank," in allegiance to our Master. Many Christians cross the line of faith having endured hard lives in unbelief, where they craved the drunk state, gambled till they lost much, and lived for fallen fantasies. On getting saved, these people are candidates for lives defined by their personal preferences. Instead of being advocates for godly balance, they tend to impose strict codes on themselves and others. Though their life rules may be reasonable for them because of their personal weaknesses, those life rules may  not be best for everyone. Too often people in the world look at the fabricated codes of believers, which may frown on social drinking, fun dancing, light gambling and wonder who wrote the rules, us or God. Our featuring our brand of Christianity and our powerlessness to Scripturally excoriate these practices make us law-givers in the minds of unbelievers or attune young Christians. The time has come for discipleship to be more organic. It's high time people are led to God rather than "accepted Christian norms." Our focus needs to be compelling people in our sphere of their appointment with Christ beyond the grave. The reality of seeing Christ after death and His grand design to make hearts His home are real time catalysts, stirring people to ponder their relationship with God. Our lives need to effervesce "truth,  beauty, justice, community." If we're to win others to faith in Christ; it'll not be by our rigid code of conduct; rather it'll be by living lives enlivened by active relationship with Christ. People don't care for your code, they care for your fulfillment Source. Our faith is the envy of our neighbors, when it makes us more neighborly, not elusive. My neighbor, who lives for drugs won't be drawn to Christ by what I do or don't do but by how the Christ I possess changes my way with him. Too often we placate others by our commitment to our own "right regimen," which many times is of our own making, not God's. People out there have a misconstrued concept of what Christianity is many times because Christianity is often misrepresented as a list of "do's" and "dont's." We have a responsibility as Christians to represent the true heart change Christ brings when He enters the heart at salvation. He enlivens the heart filling it with heavenly desires and a built-in Control, His Spirit, Who moves us down paths best for us. In love with Christ, we'll have no heart for fallen addictions; we'll be the story of hearts with crowded space, hearts full of who Christ is and beating with Kingdom desire, hearts which enjoy responsibly things in this world, for while they relish this world's good they wait longingly for another World. Don't force your rules for living onto others; instead lead them into the good life, the life which embraces in trust the work Christ did on Calvary with a spirit of love and personal duty. The love of Christ and what it does in one's heart has a way of leading people into lives which live to honor it. Transformation by Christ's selfless work on Calvary alone is the way to lead a life holy, alive and transported, in His eyes.

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you - 1 Pet. 2:9 MSG
His inside-out difference runs deeper than what we do or don't do. Its all about the privilege of daily dates with Him, a lifestyle of true union with Him which is lifestyle transforming.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Where are you living in the "do zone" or the "done zone"

But they became anxious when they were brought into Joseph's home, thinking, "It's the money; he thinks we ran off with the money on our first trip down here. And now he's got us where he wants us-he's going to turn us into slaves and confiscate our donkeys." Genesis 43:18 (Message)
Joaeph's way with his brothers after they'd treated him as if he were an enemy pictures well the way God deals with his family. We're inclined to believe that our right versus wrong performance is our pass into God's presence; but the truth is nothing we do can guarantee access into God's presence. God is entirely holy and only the perfect can attain to lifetime privileges of His favor. Through belief in Christ to salvation though, we can be made perfect, bought and brought into a lifelong relationship with Christ, where we live not to earn favor with God but as living proof of our love for Him. As Joseph's brothers sat afraid eating at their brother's table in fear of his avenging their hurting him; many Christians sit in God's presence, fearing His holy side, living with their performance constantly in view rather than allowing God's immeasurable love to be catalyst and control in all they are and do. The call is to live in the love of God, allowing His holy devotion to us to leave us so spellbound and changed that we live to reciprocate His great love. Our concept of God has great bearing on the way we live; as Christians we may find ourselves seeking to live in the "do zone" where we do all we can to earn God's merit; or we may live in the "done zone," where we allow His love to show itself as life-changing in our experience, a love that changes inside-out. When we seek to please God, we fail; when God's love compels us we live pleasing Him.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Getting exactly what you want may carry the price tag of empty-heartedness

They only cared about pleasing themselves in that desert, provoked God with their insistent demands.
He gave them exactly what they asked for-but along with it they got an empty heart. Ps. 106:15,16 (MSG)
One of our challenges as Christians is maintaining a heart selflessly devoted to God's best for us. We often live for what we want with little or no wish for what God wants. Like Israel, we live inclined to please ourselves and irk God when the only time we relate to Him personally is to tap His reserve for what we "need." God, as he did with Israel, has a way if showing us how little satisfaction gaining earthly things brings. He may grant what we crave so that we get a renewed picture of the dissatisfaction many live with though they have many things. Real meaning in  life is in relating to God selflessly through our days and taking the light Christ pours into us to others. True nirvana is in walking with Christ. May you know the true contentment of having Christ at your center today.
Live for the needs of others not your own and find unfettered joy and your own needs met as well.
A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. -Jackie Robinson

Thursday, October 27, 2011

What if your part is key in their dream becoming reality

Without question God is the One, who facilitates the giving and realizing of dreams; but it's interesting how He fancies the worth of people helping others' dreams become reality. Joseph's time in prison was a time where he was given free rein to lead fellow prisoners as they did their prison time.  In prison, Joseph tapped God's wisdom to reveal the restoration of Pharoah's cup-bearer to his former prominence in Pharoah's presence. However, though the cupbearer was restored to his former glee; Joseph was left alone and estranged in prison for a good while, for the cup-bearer never made mention of Joseph's role in his restoration. Only after some time would Joseph too see his dreams take wing. There's a lesson here we each need to heed. In this world there is at least one person whose dream cannot become a reality without your help. Though God is God, one of his heart delights is using people to facilitate His great purpose in others' lives. As Joseph was key in revealing the eventual restoration of Pharoah's cup-bearer; He would prove key to the rescue of Egypt at large in the famine which followed. Joseph couldn't have been the blessing he was to Egypt as a nation though were the cup-bearer he helped unwilling to help him. There's a wonderful cycle of dream-reality, which we can either facilitate or impede by our willingness or unwillingness to help others in our power to influence. What you do today can make or break someone's reality. God help us be in God's place for us, where we can help more of those around us find their dreams become reality.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Connection with Christ brings with it the connections we need to succeed

We live in a world where who you know not what you do is key to promotion and favor many times. In the Christian sphere, the same proves true, ask Joseph. Transplanted in Egypt against his will, I'm sure he felt estranged from those close to him. Joseph's walk though allowed him to thrive as he served in Potiphar's place. As we walk with God, others will take notice of our transformed work ethic. Joseph's promotion would be accompanied by demotion as well. For no fault of his own; Joseph was landed in an offender's prison, though his relationship with Potiphar's wife was nothing but righteous. Through the highs and lows of Joseph's walk, he was learning how invaluable it is to not live for life's highs, but rather to live to walk with God. Knowing Him is the most enervating part of our life experience. I find it interesting that as Joseph was forced to better know God for being thrown into prison, God gave him the human connections he needed to do a greater work once more. In prison he met Pharoah's baker and Pharoah's wine-taster, who led him into Pharoah's presence, where Joseph  found favor was made second ruler in Egypt. The high call today is to weather life changing tides by growing the more close to Christ. This alone will prove a true anchor, steadying us in life's highs and lows. Our strong, growing walk with Christ will also bring with it the connections we need to realize the dreams God places in our hearts. God is all about our being interconnected with Him and He rewards those who'll seek Him with the connections they need to
succeed. Let your first step in loss not be hurry to get back up on your own, but rather rush
into His presence. He alone is the true Giver of all good things. Joseph's moving from
Potiphar's place to Pharoah's palace hinged on his willingness to know and praise God in
prison. How's your connection to Christ today?

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Thrive with God at the wheel of your life

There's a wonderful irony to walking with God. To live in a growing relationship with God  is almost a guarantee that our lives will be turned upside down in some way. Joseph was sold to the Midianites for a mere 20 Shekels. Journeying away from family and familiar friends maybe he wondered does God hate me? While his soul was torn, while he wondered if God was worthy of his life allegiance; God showed up showing him His sincere concern for his well-being. God hand-picked Potiphar to serve as a pipeline of unrelenting blessing to Joseph in his darkest hours. Potiphar's house would be leadership training for Joseph, teaching Joseph to shoulder responsibilities in God's strength to guarantee God's outcome in all He did. Blessings pursued Joseph along  with the evil which came his way, and blessing followed those who were touched by His life.  Praise God for a God, who literally loads us with benefits. He is not a "Checklist God," constantly purveying our lives for our right versus wrong performance; contrarily, He is a gracious God, who is over-committed to wowing us with the reality that He simply cannot get enough of us. His love language is quality time. Nothing satisfies Him more than a reciprocated friendship with us, where we too can't get over Him. God would weave even more trouble into Joseph's life, landing him in jail for his righteous stand; but it would prove all good. Amazingly, our gumption through great trial is our qualification and vindication to serve in greater capacities. Each day of blessing and burden was equipping
Joseph to be the servant he was born to be. Servants aren't born in the ice-cream parlor; they must feel the fire of God's hot pot, if they're to ably fulfill God's purposes for them.
That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.Romans 8:28 MSG

Monday, October 24, 2011

God is Healer, but we must be intentionally moving toward healing.

 
Time passed. Judah's wife, Shua's daughter, died. When the time of mourning was over, Judah with his friend Hirah of Adullam went to Timnah for the sheep shearing. Gen.38:12
Time teaches us that we are very vulnerable to yield to sinful pleasures and dark escape routes after times of deep hurt or difficulty. On his daughter Shua's death, Judah mourned for some time then sought to return happily to work. As he journeyed to Timnah to shear sheep; he slept with a "prostitute," who he later found to be his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Giving in to the unthinkable, Judah slept with his close relation and soon was father of twins, Perez (Breakout) and Zerah (Bright). God would have you understand the need to move from mourning to healing. We need to handle our hurt and disappointment in a way that places us on path to healing; a steady spa treatment of Scripture, heart-felt prayer, legit recreation, and time with friends, who are good at listening and super empathetic is needed to help us get back to working diligently and not fail miserably as Judah did. Interestingly, his twins were named Perez (Breakout) and Zerah (Bright). They received these names because Zerah was on path to being born first but Perez beat him to birth, so the name (Breakout). When we fail to focus on healing well, depending on the Spirit and His options; we too will fail as Judah did. The "Bright" paths of right decisions will elude us as they did Judah and we will inevitably "Breakout" in sinful escape. Harm follows our failing to heal well.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Life's better, lived before the face of God.

But Esau ran up and embraced him, held him tight and kissed him. And they both wept.
 Then Esau looked around and saw the women and children: "And who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children that God saw fit to bless me with." Gem. 33:4,5
I'm learning practically that living in God's presence is key to peace, soul prosperity, and daily favor; if there is one mighty motivator to living barnacled to Jesus, it's our enemies. As Jacob had his haters so do you. Jacob felt tangibly the hatred of Esau. He lived with the shadow of Esau in his rear view mirror, wandering when Esau would pounce destroying him, his wives and progeny; I believe Jacob's fear was his friend; for his helplessness against the hatred of his brother Esau, allowed him to find home in Beth-EL, God's house. Enemies are God's messengers to lead us into a life of trust, to knowing God intimately, they're a means to our growing the more close to Jesus. Jacob lived to see and be seen of God, he was impassioned with the possibilities he'd find for living in God's presence partly because of His enemies. Will you allow the dark realities of your life to fuel your passion to better know God. To prosper you within is God's desire; let Him do this. As you prosper within; you'll find the things you need as well and your enemies will watch in wonder and crave what makes you prosper within and without... Peace, soul-prosperity, and favor follow those whose delight is to live where the help is-in the presence of God.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Journey into true worship

They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Genesis 35:4 (MSG)
The place where we lay down our idols can be a place that moves us into a lifetime of worship. Shechem may not have been Beth-El, but it was so symbolic. There Rachel handed over her idols, which symbolized Laban and everything evil and moved toward Beth-El, the place her husband met with God and found his bad self (the Israel God-Wrestler, he was born to be). To Beth-El they would travel, where the man once Jacob (Heel, Cheat) would find a God so willing to take him damaged goods and make Him a man with a mission. Shechem though was so important to his finding his place; for without a Shechem (a place where we lay our idols down), we'll never make it to Beth-El, the place that bleeds with God's presence and authentic, soul-deep worship.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

On kicking temptation

A bear chased after two men but one of them stopped suddenly to get his running shoes from his bag. When scolded by his friend for his sudden stop and what might happen next; he said, I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you. What a strategy for overcoming temptation. Victory over temptation is not a year-end event but a daily, moment-by-moment one. Choose to outrun your temptation to _______ by using the running shoes (way of escape) the holy Spirit provides you whether it's Scripture, holy grit, or the accountability of good friends.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The Skinny on Pride

I've learned a life-altering lesson from the death via suicide of a college mate Mark Rife and the many shallow, unknowingly heartless responses to it. Biblically pride and suicide are sins God looks on with equal disdain, Christ excoriated the Pharisees's empty, pride-driven religion,  Solomon extolled the virtue of a living dog over that of a dead lion. Pride, in a way, trumps suicide as a worse sin; for pride is a living suicide, ask Lucifer, his pride placed him on a roller coaster ride to ultimate destruction.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Balancing our online time

I've been silent for some time as my infant has become a crawler and cruiser and needs my complete attention; but the onslaught of moral corruption in the political sphere by a Republican senator from Georgia recently and confession today by a New York senator have called me out of the shadows. I believe we men need return to the simple life. Today's developments in technology and fascinating improvements in social networking make us close to stranger and friend alike in ways we've never known. Our ability to interface and interact with others has been heightened to unprecedented levels. I am very thankful for the technological upswing. It brings an opportunity to relate more personally with others, an access to information and opportunities unprecedented, and an accountability for our online actions as our activity is in the close purview of many. With these opportunities come great responsibility to ensure our part is not to get so engrossed in our never before known privileges that we become vulnerable to abuse or misuse of our internet time, poor stewards of the web. As men, we are prone to live in a world dominated by fantasies, far removed from the real-time marriages and child-rearing responsibilities God has graciously granted to us. Each fantasy we indulge draws us into a web of addiction, which draws us farther and farther from our spouses, leading us eventually into a marriage of convenience or eventual divorce, where each partner does his or her part to procure the children's well-being.  Two partners once close now engage in passionless sex, interact when necessary, and relate to each other as a matter of duty. You'd agree that a lot of the failure we've seen in the public square has its rooting in godless fantasies, indulged to the peril of each politician. It's time that we men get wrapped into reality. I feel my best and far removed from vile fantasies, when I'm passionately consumed with winning my wife (can't wait to take her to get her caramel highlights on Thursday), plugged into meeting my kids needs, and using the internet to exponentially further the kingdom of God in the lives of those who view my fruit of online time in the world of God's Word and self-growth. The call is to return to your immediate world; the time we spend with our families, workmates, and people in our sphere of influence, men,  is the most precious investment of our lives; God help us use our online time for self-growth and greater impact rather than self-indulgence.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Finding power and praise in life's pits

Many drive Toyotas for good reason. Toyotas are world renowned for their dependability. The reason Toyotas are maybe the world's most dependable cars are because their individuals parts have greater tolerance and durability than those of competing vehicles. One of the joys of our journey we tend to not embrace is the privilege of allowing Christ the opportunity and time to build our tolerance level. Many of you like me are wimps at our best and in need of God's infusion of strength and grace if we're to portray the strength of Christ the way we ought. God seeks to shower grace into our spirits and endue us with the strength we need to experience joy amidst life's problems and pains. Before Paul could speak of his ability to do everything through Christ, His strength; He spoke of the training God gave him to build his tolerance. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little, Phili. 4:12 (NLT) Paul understood that weakness is the gateway to finding our true worth and rejoicing; for genuine joy is not in passing things or our feeble strength but in Christ. God desires us to live with His imprint, REJOICING. As He crafts us in the crucible of reproach, criticism, and need; let's see by faith the outpouring of character, tolerance, and strength He's infusing into our lives. As they say, no pain, no gain. Welcome the growing pains Christ engineers into your experience and you'll have the testimony of Paul, Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice! Phili. 4:4 (NLT).

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Time to live linked in to Christ

I've had much food for thought over the last couple days. Rick Warren said, "It's easier to fight for truth than to live it. It's why there are more defenders (of truth) than disciples." There's much debate over what the primary attribute of God is, whether holiness or love. Today, I'd like to place my ballot for both. The Bible beckons us to be pure in heart but pregnant with love. I'm learning that my need in life moments is more holiness and more love, for just as purity is power in my life, love is strength for my living. It takes a pure heart to show perfect love; but it takes a heart that loves God to have a heart that loves others. Our call is to live as apprentices would live in relation to their teachers, connected at the hip, in our relationship to Christ; following Him wholeheartedly, regardless of our feelings, our enemies, and our "rights." We need to be intentional about raising our bar of discipleship, for living snug close to Jesus, is the best defense and witness to the resurrection life of Jesus within us. As our focus is on living close to Christ and not on our outward expressions of spirituality; we find ourselves aglow with the light and life of Christ. It's then that people listen to our words of faith and truth. I'm passionate about a renewed heart to live as Christ's follower, one in love and truth.
"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Eph. 3:19 (NLT)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Think you all that?

We live in a culture of confidence. Anything deemed weak, powerless, or not eye to eye is out of place, unprofitable, and unworthy of our time and attention. It's little wonder the real needs of society like the homeless, jobless, and "heavenless" are not the object of our time. Like Alexander the Great, we're wounded by the pride of conquest, not seeing that men of Napoleon-like stature, like Paul are the ones God utilizes for His purpose in others. Take Paul, a case study in weakness made strength. He was regarded as strong in letter but a man, who didn't have much stage presence. Though he was well-trained at Gamaliel's feet, Paul's glory was not in His strength but in His message. Life taught Paul that his weakness was to be his boasting 2 Cor. 12:5 he learned that only when brought to his breaking point could he know personal breakthrough. This perspective brought reality and naturalness to what Paul did. First, he lived purely for the gain of others, not their return on his investment, he could do this because he held those he reached out to close to his heart. Second, he was natural and selfless in his way with people, his motives were right; after all, he wanted their good; any benefit he'd know from his investments with others was extra. Paul understood that he'd be what he needed to to others only as he lived in the reality of who he was, nothing. As our nothingness becomes a reality we live in; we're on path to greater influence. Paul knew a grace portion surpassing his need, when he lived in the conscious realization that his weakness was God's grace to him, enabling him to access God's greater power to do the impossible. If your glory is your strength today consider Christ's finest moment, the cross; it's impact on your life and mine is unequaled. Paul prided in his pain, for his pain was key to greater personal growth and impact. Take time to live consciously in your inabilities today as you trust God to do what you do. This is the life that holds God's attention and touches others deeply.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Dealing with someone who is a pain to you?

My wife has a way of looking at my son with her pure heart and telling him, "Don't let one of those girls break your heart." I used to tell my little one the same things too, but life has taught me that heartbreak is God's primary mentoring tool in our lives. Our growth is forged in the fire of interpersonal relationships. I believe relationships are the medium God uses most to procure growth in our lives. God has a way of bringing people into our lives, who seem gifted at making us happiest and angriest all at the same time, whether it be a spouse, acquaintance, boss, or close relation. God tests, refines, and transforms us in the hot pot of relating to "stupid" people. You may say, "Why did you allow this person into my life. I feel akin to the devil for having to relate closely to them." Well, had that person not been allowed in your life, you may have been best friends with the prison guards, for doing something, which may have cost you your personal freedom. As they tried your faith, your treasure chest of patience, experience, and love unashamed was loaded (Rom. 5:3-5). Each new person God brings into our lives is a rainbow of dark and bright; they are God's messengers to mull and shape us into the image of His seamless Son. The Bible speaks clearly to our need to allow love to control in how we are with others (2 Cor. 5:14). We don't have to feel like we can love the seeming (messengers of Satan) God brings our way; we just need love them, dominated by a greater love (James 1:12). At the very least, we can love them for the better person they are making of us. Pray for me as you pray for you that God will help you accept the people gifts He brings your way, leaving you filled with His love to love them on purpose. This one's from deep within me, hope it helped you. People will lie about you to make themselves look better, they'll seem more interested in what you have to give than you; if our focus is on any thing less than their standing as creations of almighty God, hand-picked to grow us in our journey; we'll not allow God's love to control in our interactions with them.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

The highway to happiness

We all want to be happy, but few of us live in the reality that happiness or unhappiness is a byproduct of our heart's condition. As we live obedient to God's requirements, we know joy; then, as Charles Finney says, we stumble on happiness regularly in our path. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians paints a highway you and I must travel if our desire is to know joy that will be the envy of our friends. In 2 Cor. 2:3b he says, Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful (NLT). God designed us to live on His high octane fuel, joy. As we're filled up daily with His fuel, we know no knock (the problem new engines experience when they run on lower octane fuels). So how do we fill up on joy? The passage is clear, we must live for the joy of others. We understand this well from our feelings at Christmas time. Contrary to what we thought, the greatest Christmases we experienced were the ones we spent giving selflessly to others. There's a exclusive joy and happiness which is caught only by a giver. We were made to give not get; getting provides temporal gratification; but giving measureless joy. God help us fulfill our born design, to live like His Son, who lived to give, knowing the joy that would follow His giving, your salvation and mine (Hebrews 12:1).

Saturday, March 26, 2011

God, why the pain?

A close look at the words suffering and comfort will provide you with a rainbow of enlightenment. Suffering, Biblically, is a first step in the direction of comfort. God's passion is that we forge strength through the valleys of life, personal strength that becomes encouragement to others. Ever had someone tell you "it's gonna be okay" without the slightest idea of the pain you were experiencing. Their input into your life may have been well-intended sympathy, but it proved to be well short of the empathy you needed. The path you journey is a God-given one, designed to build you and pour useful empathy into you that will prove useful to  others; you'll gain this needful empathy as you keep moving through the valleys of life to its mountaintops. Later, you'll look down toward the verdant valleys you traversed before coming through your troubles; it's then you need to help some soul who needs the God-infused empathy you now live to give. You've been there, worn the t-shirt, you can now truly comfort them with the comfort you've known for enduring suffering. Suffering is the only sure route into pure, unbridled comfort. It high time we embrace our pain as others' gain, as our pain helps us better understand and better others. Here's a catchy story of our need to endure, seeing Christ the invisible One by faith from Tim Elsmore. 
I remember hearing a story about a frog who was hopping along a road when he fell into a large hole. He tried and tried to hop out, but was unable. As his friends came by, the frog beckoned them to go get help. Each of them ran for help, but upon their return they saw the frog hopping along the road again. He was obviously free from the confinement of the hole. When they reminded him that he couldn’t get out, he said: “Oh, you are right. I couldn’t get out. But then I heard a huge truck approaching and I realized…I had to.” Here’s to your best gifts emerging as you face that huge truck coming at you.

Friday, March 25, 2011

What will your life look like after death?

Bell's book "Love Wins" has stolen the attention of many around the world. The reason many are either enamored with His benign, ever-pardoning God or disturbed by His disregard for the eternal prison, the home of the devil and those who aren't God's friends, is because the supernatural tends to control in much of what we think. I think if we're not careful, we'll allow our thoughts of life after death to enamor us and not change us from the inside out. Life is a matter of preparation for eternity as we all will stand and give report to Christ for how prepared we are meet Him (Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10). So the question is what will your life look like after death? Scripture is clear regarding the things we can do to ensure confidence and not shame when we die. The first is to allow our bad blood (bent to do wrong) to open our eyes to our need to begin a transforming, personal relationship with Christ. He died so that we'd hold onto His death alone for safe passage into an eternity of rest, reward, and rule with Christ; His resurrection was the Father's receipt proving that trust in His Son's selfless death alone gives us the gift of heaven. Second, having begun a relationship with Christ, we must live as the people salvation has made us, ones showing our faith by our works (James 2). If we'd allow these thoughts to control in how we live; we'll be prayerfully and confidently readying ourselves and others for life beyond death's door, too busy to be aimlessly debating whether eternal pardon is available here only or in the hereafter also, knowing the right time to prepare for life after death is now (2 Cor. 6:2).

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

God is love not shove

I grew up under the impression that the primary gene of God is His holiness. On studying Scripture and our place in God's program as the church; I'm not convinced. Yes, the angels in Isaiah 6 proclaim God a thrice holy God, yes, John shuttered at the brass feet of Christ, God of glory; but how do you want your children to remember you? As a distant dictator, one unapproachable, who always had it together or as one, who nurtured them well with empathy and compassionate care. The Bible is very clear in 1 John 1 that God is light, undimmed by darkness; but its portrait of God in 1 John 4 is love, not distance or shove. He desires to be near, not distant, for "He's not far from anyone of us," Acts 17. He is not cold and uninterested but near, mighty to save. Peter portrays Him as the Christ, who keeps us way beyond salvation with His delivering Hand. John 13 is crystal clear regarding how others are to know God, by our love for one another just as Christ showed us God by His demonstrating His love on Calvary's cross. He shared with us the Father's love dying for us enemies, without strength, and cursed by sin. Christ in a word is love. Your past need not keep you from His Hand of mercy; in Christ, you can be made new or restored today, for God is love.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A humble view of ourselves helps us better bless others

One of our failings as people is to overestimate our importance to the success of others. The funny thing is while we're focusing on how integral we are to their success; we tend to neglect their real, immediate needs. My inspiration for writing this blog is my current pastor, Dan. I love the way he downplays his importance to my success; meanwhile doing everything he can to ensure I'm all God made me to be. God desires that we have a Biblical view of self. We may think we're beasts (in the Black-American sense) but we still have to sleep (Tripp Lee). Yes, we are just mud, dust stuck together; but as mud we have help roles to fill in the lives of others that we fill best. Reach into the lives of those in and out of your circle today. You'll touch them when you see yourself as a hand, a foot of Jesus to them; meet their needs selflessly, sacrificially, out of joy not duty. Be intentional about seeing yourself the way God sees you and touching others God's way.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Are all your friendships superficial or do you have close friends?

The love of Jesus is nothing short of boundless. When Christ condescended from heaven's portals to walk our mile; He came with one purpose, to show us the bond between Him and the Father so that we'd see our desperation apart from a personal relationship with God. Christ and the Father were one in their close union. How about you? Do you have a close friend? One you can bear your feelings to without fear of embarrassment, judgment, or betrayal. We drove our closest friends to LAX today. As we dropped them off we felt as if we lost them, though they're gone for just two weeks. I believe the reason we feel as we do is because they listen open-mindedly, there is nothing we can tell them which demeans their view and love of us, they share generously, there is nothing within reason you should withhold from those you love; but they hold to us closely, to be near those you love is to reveal who you really are and see parts of others that don't always rub you the right way. But, to be near the beauty and rust of others gives us a vision of how we want to be accepted and loved, simply for who we are. Genuine friendship provides an avenue to be yourself but Biblical friendship refines you as we are lovingly led to rid the rust in our lives, which makes us difficult to be around.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Are you self-righteous or Christ-like in your relations with fellow Christians?

2 John reminds us of our individual responsibility to walk in the doctrine of Christ. However, in our quest to be doctrinaire, we may find ourselves becoming less and less like the Christ we desire to model before others. I've personally struggled with finding myself becoming self-righteous in my dealings with fellow believers, particularly those who didn't agree completely with my belief system. G.K. Chesterton speaks of our tendency to live in either a small or broader circle. If we're not careful we'll call ourselves people of "the way" when in reality we are small minded and inclined only toward people of our doctrinal persuasion. Though we must maintain sound doctrine, the expression of our stand for our beliefs is as or more important than our Jesus belief's themselves. God help us as Christians to relate to fellow believers in a way that becomes their place as fellow believers in Christ. As we take these words to heart, we'll leave the motives of others in God's hands; we'll be people slow to speak, quick to listen, a people prone to pray and embrace those different from us as God guides us, we'll deal with fellow Christians in a accepting way. The only people Christ reserved anger for were the Pharisees; God guard us from a show of righteousness, a vain show which knows nothing of true, heart religion.

Change your viewpoint on trials

The words of Laura Story's song "Blessings" have encouraged me so much. I'm sure they'll help you as well. Feel free to view it on the video bar of our blog; be encouraged.

Laura Story - "Blessings" Lyrics

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Suring up where we're weak

I had great food for thought this week from Darrin Patrick's book "Church Planter," regarding my responsibility to grow in my areas of weakness as a pastor. Yes, I've been taught to staff weaknesses as a future leader, but the proverbial monkey which I delegate remains my own. Some pastors are strong theologians, others are strong in the areas of missions or shepherding. I must know where I excel and not lead with my strengths alone but have the humility to grow in my areas of weakness; life requires growth and the joy growth brings is well worth it.

How are you?

Many live with a facade of well-being, when their lives are falling apart. Many are forced to feign success and personal prosperity, when in their hearts they're searching for answers. Many fail to know the benefit of taking an honest assessment of their lot in life and making a turnabout, which could be transforming in their experience and in the lives of others. I'm Dave; I'm so excited to network with you, to share experiences. God is impassioned with your knowing joy and fulfillment in your experience. I'm looking to learn from you and to help you with my experiences.