Meditations on ~ Hebrews 4:13-15 (New International Version)
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
~ I love this and at the same time this kind of freaks me out. I mean how many times I have done things that I now that no human knows but it still was not privet. I love the fact that God also see the evil and the injustice that occurs in life. It is comforting to know that God can see those times that the world fails to be fair. I also like the idea that when you do those things that is good and right even in the face of other choices. The last line is one that we need to keep in mind --- we will answer for our lives LIKE IT or NOT… we have a responsibility to live our life well!!
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
~ I at times like to think that Jesus is more than a friend someone that is very HOLY and keeping that supernatural even mysterious level of Spirituality alive. He is our High priest and as such we need to learn to heed his leadership as such.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
~ I like to think about this part of Jesus a lot. I know that I am human and how many times I have failed. Yet here is the statement that Jesus has been down the paths I have and did not fail. Yes, I know He was fully God and the idea that any temptations could have effected him I know ridicules. Yet if he was tempted that means he can understand the thought pattern that I face and at least why my human failures do occur. I think the human Jesus went through the mental anguish of being human so he could fully relate to each of us.
The high priest led the worship in the sanctuary; He presented the sacrifices to atone for people’s sin. Now Jesus leads us in worship for he is that which is to be worshiped and His one act of sacrifice for all time and for all sin!
This is very hard and inspiring --- much like the whole of the Christian faith Journey…
Monday, July 9, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Technology or humans?
An article in technology section in my local paper about the new ATM’s have me thinking about the way we humans are striving to replace ourselves. What is the reason we want to replace people like bank tellers and cashiers? Now do not get me wrong I am love technology. I mean I am writing this on my laptop that is connected to my wireless network that I have three other computer systems hooked up to. I have full digital cable and if I had the money I would have a wall mount plasma HDTV. I love technology but I want technology I control.
I went to the famous W-mart store the other day and there are eight self serve lines and they had people waiting to use them, while there were two cashiers with no one in line. I went to the cashier and asked if this happened often? She replied “not often but it does happen.” I could not help think about replacing six cashiers with computers. It only takes one person to run four self serve stations. That would work out to a lot of profit for a store, no doubt about that and I use them myself. I found myself looking at the cashier and wondering does this lady feel obsolete or on the edge of a computer replacing her.
The article on the new type of bank ATM said that will act much like the self check out. My bank’s ATM takes checks but it is with a deposit slip and then it has to be verified by humans. This new ATM will not need human approval it will read as many checks as you want to put into it and process them instantly. It will have full capabilities for you to do anything you need to do at a bank short of robbery. There go those jobs and those people!
I read online that there is a robot in Japan that is a dance instructor. It reacts to slightest movements of its “partner” and responds accordingly. They have it sort of human looking, sort of. They are planning on making its mate also. Well there go dance instructors and even more human contact! Not that I dance but some people can and want to learn. I understand the need for progress and the replacement of dangerous jobs like those on the bomb squad but what I am really having a hard time with mans drive to replace our selves in every jobs.
Where are we heading? Maybe we will get lucky and soon we will walk into our doctor’s office and sign into a machine and then step into another machine and it will scan us and dispense some medication or maybe a screen will flash “BEND OVER”! I do not really believe in alien probes BUT we could make it happen, if we keep up! Not to mention, being a man do not even want to think about a machine saying tune your head and cough!!!!
I see technology as a water fall we can not stop the flow but I fear there is a nasty fall coming and that fall is not good for man. In the Bible there is story about all the people got together and wanted to build a tower to heaven. The wanted to be united as one and build this amazing thing, God said NO, it was too dangerous. They did not know how the atmosphere worked and many would have died. So I wonder if we are “all” working on creating artificial inelegant computer that is smarter than we are, if God will spare man from himself again or will God let us have our own way this time?
I like people, I like talking to people, I fear mans drive to improve our lives is leading to a place where normal working class people will have no place to work. If they have no place to work where will they get money? If they have no money how does society support them? We need to keep progressing but we need to do so with thought about others and their lives.
Why are we driven to replace ourselves? Why are we driven to create a life form with out feeling or compassion? Do we see ourselves as failures and inefficient? Are we losing the ability to have compassion and feelings ourselves? I really am not sure I want to answer these questions because I am afraid of the answer! The Matrix my never be fully real but if continue in the path we are heading then what are we doing to ourselves? Where are we heading? I think we are much like those in the story of the tower of Babel in the Bible we all agree on improving technology but with out knowing why or what dangers we face. We have other people out there thinking about this – See the Matrix, I-Robot, and AI for movie examples. We could create a technologically advanced world or poverty ridden people.
Let us think about all this the next time we turn on our TOM-TOM or On-Star, the next time we surf the web on our I-Phone while waiting in line. Think about this as we let our cars park them selves, as we check out our own stuff a W-Mart or say good morning to an ATM as we make a deposit. I love technology but I also love people and I think we need to progress with a purpose and that purpose should be to love and help fellow humans not replace them.
I went to the famous W-mart store the other day and there are eight self serve lines and they had people waiting to use them, while there were two cashiers with no one in line. I went to the cashier and asked if this happened often? She replied “not often but it does happen.” I could not help think about replacing six cashiers with computers. It only takes one person to run four self serve stations. That would work out to a lot of profit for a store, no doubt about that and I use them myself. I found myself looking at the cashier and wondering does this lady feel obsolete or on the edge of a computer replacing her.
The article on the new type of bank ATM said that will act much like the self check out. My bank’s ATM takes checks but it is with a deposit slip and then it has to be verified by humans. This new ATM will not need human approval it will read as many checks as you want to put into it and process them instantly. It will have full capabilities for you to do anything you need to do at a bank short of robbery. There go those jobs and those people!
I read online that there is a robot in Japan that is a dance instructor. It reacts to slightest movements of its “partner” and responds accordingly. They have it sort of human looking, sort of. They are planning on making its mate also. Well there go dance instructors and even more human contact! Not that I dance but some people can and want to learn. I understand the need for progress and the replacement of dangerous jobs like those on the bomb squad but what I am really having a hard time with mans drive to replace our selves in every jobs.
Where are we heading? Maybe we will get lucky and soon we will walk into our doctor’s office and sign into a machine and then step into another machine and it will scan us and dispense some medication or maybe a screen will flash “BEND OVER”! I do not really believe in alien probes BUT we could make it happen, if we keep up! Not to mention, being a man do not even want to think about a machine saying tune your head and cough!!!!
I see technology as a water fall we can not stop the flow but I fear there is a nasty fall coming and that fall is not good for man. In the Bible there is story about all the people got together and wanted to build a tower to heaven. The wanted to be united as one and build this amazing thing, God said NO, it was too dangerous. They did not know how the atmosphere worked and many would have died. So I wonder if we are “all” working on creating artificial inelegant computer that is smarter than we are, if God will spare man from himself again or will God let us have our own way this time?
I like people, I like talking to people, I fear mans drive to improve our lives is leading to a place where normal working class people will have no place to work. If they have no place to work where will they get money? If they have no money how does society support them? We need to keep progressing but we need to do so with thought about others and their lives.
Why are we driven to replace ourselves? Why are we driven to create a life form with out feeling or compassion? Do we see ourselves as failures and inefficient? Are we losing the ability to have compassion and feelings ourselves? I really am not sure I want to answer these questions because I am afraid of the answer! The Matrix my never be fully real but if continue in the path we are heading then what are we doing to ourselves? Where are we heading? I think we are much like those in the story of the tower of Babel in the Bible we all agree on improving technology but with out knowing why or what dangers we face. We have other people out there thinking about this – See the Matrix, I-Robot, and AI for movie examples. We could create a technologically advanced world or poverty ridden people.
Let us think about all this the next time we turn on our TOM-TOM or On-Star, the next time we surf the web on our I-Phone while waiting in line. Think about this as we let our cars park them selves, as we check out our own stuff a W-Mart or say good morning to an ATM as we make a deposit. I love technology but I also love people and I think we need to progress with a purpose and that purpose should be to love and help fellow humans not replace them.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
WHAT ARE YOU?
Finding your path in this crazy world is like stumbling out of bed in the dark and finding your way to the bathroom. You are driven to move forward by a force that you can feel even though your body is not in a functional mode. You kind of know the path but you hit things with your arms and many time your pinky toe. If you took this same path during the day time you would never hurt yourself. In fact you would see everything that stood between you and you target.
Now if a person wanted to do this process logically one would awaken and sit on the side of the bed for a minute allowing there senses to gather and eyes adjust to the night or what light there was in the room. Then the trip to the bathroom would be uneventful and a lot less painful. What do we do though? We hop out of bed and force our way to the bathroom causing untold pain and destruction along the way.
Life reminds me of this process a lot of times. We are driven by a force to move forward to get to a destination. We do not really know where this destination is but we have to get there. We stumble through life finding ourselves and making a mess all along the way. I know I have kicked my life’s little toe many times!! Some call the destination the will of God for your life others call this your destiny. I have heard it said that to be happy one must follow the “will” of God or fulfill ones destiny. The thing that has always ticked me off about these people that say this is when you asked how they never had or have an answer. Oh they would have some platitude or brush off statement like “pray” “read the bible” “follow the Spirit” or “it will find you.” You know what that brakes down to? The highest form of BS.
We ask our children what do you want to be when you grow up and they have funny answers like a firefighter, a dog, or with my son a golfer. Never have I heard someone say I want to be a mid level manger that can be fired anytime or I want to be a miserable person that has had many “careers” while I find out who I am. Never do they say I want a job that I might not like but pays the bills. No they want to be something they find interesting, exciting and something they are interested in. What happens to these dreams and hopes? Why do they change? I know that children grow up and they develop understanding of how to become things such as doctor and it is hard. What if Michael Jorden had given up when cut from freshman year or Ronald Ragen had given up when not cast as lead in high school? These talented gifted men would have never become the historical figures they are today.
I think instead of struggling in the dark of life looking for who we are we need to see what we are. Are we a firefighter, a golfer, a doctor, a preacher, an artist etc… what are we? Is there anything that we are talented at that we can not become? See I grew up very poor I know that money can buy ones future but I can tell you that I have not got my BA and now close to my MA free or easy but I have done it and so can you.
The main thing is we also need to look at who we are not. I for example am not a chemist I have not got the talent for mixing things; I am not an investor I (sadly) do not have the ability to see money before it is made. There are many things I am not I just do not have the ability to do. I can learn and be ok at anything but it would be hard if not miserable for me to do so.
I have spent a lot of years trying to become a “preacher/pastor.” Why? Well I have the talent to teach things, anything that I can understand, I can relate back to others in a way they can grasp. I have the ability to care about others both physically and spiritually. I love to read and understand theology and things about God. So growing up in a very Pentecostal home that meant I was “called” to the ministry. To lead the lost home, to shepherd a part of Gods flock. What I realized just recently is that the gifts I have (what I am) do not correlate to the gifts one needs to do this job. I looked at the skills of most preachers/pastors they have an ability to motivate and lead people in projects and unity. They have the ability that others just naturally follow their lead. They have the ability to open spiritual conversation with non/un churched people and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. These are gifts I have never had.
I do have the ability to listen so I can help those (individuals and small groups) with personal problems, I can teach those looking for insight on theology or life issues, I can love those who are hurting, I can listen to those that need a compassionate ear. These are my gifts and I need to fully embrace them!
Remember all those people that said “all you have to do is follow the will of God? I do not want to be another one SO here is my thoughts on it --- There is a verse in the bible that says God will give you the desires of you heart. I do not think he was talking about cars and money. No I think he is talking about those things that motivate you, that drive you, which you feel fulfilled in. Many times in the Christian realm we think that the only real effective people for God are those that preach and teach and save the lost but think about it for minute. It is a kingdom; He needs teachers, garbage men/women cooks, maids, farmers, counselors, preachers, sales people, etc… He puts a desire in your heart for a reason that is for you to fulfill that is your place in His kingdom. We might all want to be special and WE are in God’s eyes for if we fulfill our part of the kingdom with joy and satisfaction than we have done the will of God for as we do his will we will change the Kingdom for the better.
For me the balance in this is/has been slow coming. I see now that while I can affect the Kingdom very much it will not be in the way that I have been taught, told, prophesied over, perhaps brain washed is a little strong but close. No, I have a part to play as a caring, loving person that loves God with his whole heart, mind and body. I can help people around me find answers for their troubles and pains. I can teach about the things I understand about God and life. This is not an easy thing to realize at 30+ years old. Yet on the other hand it feels good finding out what and who you are because then you can be happy following the masters plan for your life and just maybe aviosd kicking life’s pinky toe!
Now if a person wanted to do this process logically one would awaken and sit on the side of the bed for a minute allowing there senses to gather and eyes adjust to the night or what light there was in the room. Then the trip to the bathroom would be uneventful and a lot less painful. What do we do though? We hop out of bed and force our way to the bathroom causing untold pain and destruction along the way.
Life reminds me of this process a lot of times. We are driven by a force to move forward to get to a destination. We do not really know where this destination is but we have to get there. We stumble through life finding ourselves and making a mess all along the way. I know I have kicked my life’s little toe many times!! Some call the destination the will of God for your life others call this your destiny. I have heard it said that to be happy one must follow the “will” of God or fulfill ones destiny. The thing that has always ticked me off about these people that say this is when you asked how they never had or have an answer. Oh they would have some platitude or brush off statement like “pray” “read the bible” “follow the Spirit” or “it will find you.” You know what that brakes down to? The highest form of BS.
We ask our children what do you want to be when you grow up and they have funny answers like a firefighter, a dog, or with my son a golfer. Never have I heard someone say I want to be a mid level manger that can be fired anytime or I want to be a miserable person that has had many “careers” while I find out who I am. Never do they say I want a job that I might not like but pays the bills. No they want to be something they find interesting, exciting and something they are interested in. What happens to these dreams and hopes? Why do they change? I know that children grow up and they develop understanding of how to become things such as doctor and it is hard. What if Michael Jorden had given up when cut from freshman year or Ronald Ragen had given up when not cast as lead in high school? These talented gifted men would have never become the historical figures they are today.
I think instead of struggling in the dark of life looking for who we are we need to see what we are. Are we a firefighter, a golfer, a doctor, a preacher, an artist etc… what are we? Is there anything that we are talented at that we can not become? See I grew up very poor I know that money can buy ones future but I can tell you that I have not got my BA and now close to my MA free or easy but I have done it and so can you.
The main thing is we also need to look at who we are not. I for example am not a chemist I have not got the talent for mixing things; I am not an investor I (sadly) do not have the ability to see money before it is made. There are many things I am not I just do not have the ability to do. I can learn and be ok at anything but it would be hard if not miserable for me to do so.
I have spent a lot of years trying to become a “preacher/pastor.” Why? Well I have the talent to teach things, anything that I can understand, I can relate back to others in a way they can grasp. I have the ability to care about others both physically and spiritually. I love to read and understand theology and things about God. So growing up in a very Pentecostal home that meant I was “called” to the ministry. To lead the lost home, to shepherd a part of Gods flock. What I realized just recently is that the gifts I have (what I am) do not correlate to the gifts one needs to do this job. I looked at the skills of most preachers/pastors they have an ability to motivate and lead people in projects and unity. They have the ability that others just naturally follow their lead. They have the ability to open spiritual conversation with non/un churched people and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. These are gifts I have never had.
I do have the ability to listen so I can help those (individuals and small groups) with personal problems, I can teach those looking for insight on theology or life issues, I can love those who are hurting, I can listen to those that need a compassionate ear. These are my gifts and I need to fully embrace them!
Remember all those people that said “all you have to do is follow the will of God? I do not want to be another one SO here is my thoughts on it --- There is a verse in the bible that says God will give you the desires of you heart. I do not think he was talking about cars and money. No I think he is talking about those things that motivate you, that drive you, which you feel fulfilled in. Many times in the Christian realm we think that the only real effective people for God are those that preach and teach and save the lost but think about it for minute. It is a kingdom; He needs teachers, garbage men/women cooks, maids, farmers, counselors, preachers, sales people, etc… He puts a desire in your heart for a reason that is for you to fulfill that is your place in His kingdom. We might all want to be special and WE are in God’s eyes for if we fulfill our part of the kingdom with joy and satisfaction than we have done the will of God for as we do his will we will change the Kingdom for the better.
For me the balance in this is/has been slow coming. I see now that while I can affect the Kingdom very much it will not be in the way that I have been taught, told, prophesied over, perhaps brain washed is a little strong but close. No, I have a part to play as a caring, loving person that loves God with his whole heart, mind and body. I can help people around me find answers for their troubles and pains. I can teach about the things I understand about God and life. This is not an easy thing to realize at 30+ years old. Yet on the other hand it feels good finding out what and who you are because then you can be happy following the masters plan for your life and just maybe aviosd kicking life’s pinky toe!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Walking Kingdom
This is a quote from a book I am reading … Take some time to read it…
The statement in yellow:
Mark 1: 15-16 it says …15 The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen… Jesus was asking people to repent and believe what? What was the good news? Some have suggested that the good news was that God had once again come to the world.
It had been over 400 years since God had any real interaction with the people. Now Jesus God’s ultimate high priest and in part fully Himself had come into this world. I have to say differ slightly with the first statement. I believe that the cross is still the main thing we need to help explain to those with out that starting point of the kingdom. I do agree that the very best news is that Jesus had come into the world and started the formation of God’s Kingdom here and now on earth but with out Jesus’s work on the cross the kingdom could not and can not come to man.
I love the thought that the Kingdom of God is present where ever Jesus is. I love this thought because Jesus lives in side of me and there for resides the Kingdom of God. We no longer need to look to buildings and denominations or processed programmed shows to connect with this far off kingdom some place. We are the walking pre-formation of the kingdom of God.
The under lined red statement I totally agree with of course you have to understand that I think the cross of Christ is the key to the beginning of the journey in faith. I understand that it is only one part of the over all story but in my understanding and experiential journey it takes a first place in the personal walk.
The under lined blue is a very real statement. The cross is and was the ultimate proof of Jesus and Gods love for man. It is the ultimate reconciliation method and the perfect portal for the kingdom of God to enter this world.
Over all this brings me to the point in my journey that has changed a lot. I grew up being taught that God’s kingdom is coming not here. I grew up being told that the devil controlled this world and we (Christians) are the ones out of place in it. I see how far from the truth this view is now! God made it all, He owns it all, He controls it all (if and when he chooses to). It is Satan and his kingdom that is the trespasser. THIS FOR ANOTHER WRITING---
To conclude I pray that God helps me understand that I am a walking representation of his kingdom here in this time and in this world. I pray that others that claim to follow Jesus understand that He was the introduction of the Kingdom and it was the portal of the cross and resurrection that ushered this pre-formation of the God ultimate kingdom rule to come.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Lots of noise!!!
In the past three days I have been really struggling in find my way out of a odd spot. I have several ideas that I would like to talk about but they are all coming up short in the writing. I have been writing and half way into a thought, I stop, and go I do not really know if I believe what I just wrote or I will find so many holes in my own logic that I wonder where did that #$$# come from.
I like to think big about things. I like theology and philosophy but lately these ideas and conversations have just annoyed me. I feel like I am spitting out words that have no meaning. I feel like I am a huge source of noise pollution. Even as I put out these blogs in the unknown world of cyber space I wonder why, is anyone even reading them?
At first I think this was more of a cathartic process, maybe a clearing of the mind for me. Now I find my self afraid of creating noise. I heard a young girl on Youtube that said “if you use words in a twisted way they just die and dead words are very sad…” I know she was over acting for the web but her words sunk in really deep. There truly is a sadness in dead words.
In my counseling classes we have been going over the power of listening. I like to say 2 ears one mouth use them accordingly but lately I feel like I have reversed the process. I have been quieter the past few days when I am out in public. I am trying to hear the world and culture around me but all I hear is noise. I feel like there is a big TV on and the channel has gone out and it loudly playing that white noise.
I hear talking but no words, I see conversations going on and see no point. I want to a gathering on Monday and they talked about radical orthodoxy and I had minor input but by the end it was more like blah blah blah blah blah. I looked at the faces of the young people in the group and half of them looked like they wanted to rip put the own eyes. The speaker had lots of large words, compelling historical illustrations and references but there was very little substance and absolutely no effect on a person’s life. The question I have is was this worth my time? Was this worth the time for anyone there? Were we just adding noise to the universe?
There is scientific theory that says every sound that is made out side of a building goes on forever. The sound never stops it never ever stops just goes on and on. Think about that. If that that is true every time we curse, yell, say something negative it never dies out, some where in time and space is every thing we ever said out side a building. I do not know if this thought is real or not but if it is I do not want to add useless sounds to the universe. I do not want to send empty hollow meaningless words out just to prove I have can talk. I really do not want to send negative sound waves on forever.
I have decided that I want to listen to more and try to hear what is really going on around me in this world. I want to see if there is any substance to all this sound that is in this world. I want to cut down the amount of empty meaningless sounds I put into the mix. I have a mind set to add more sounds of love and compassion so who ever is out there, where ever they may be and come across my words will hear the sound that they will want to listen to. I want to add something to all this noise that will stand out from the static.
I pray that God allow me to add sounds of substance, sound of love and sounds of compassion. I pray that I as we all go through life we tune into hearing more of these sounds. I pray that if my words do go on forever than they go on to be heard as those reflections of my faith in Christ and my compassion for the little parts of life I function in. Let it be dear God if it be your will let it be.
I like to think big about things. I like theology and philosophy but lately these ideas and conversations have just annoyed me. I feel like I am spitting out words that have no meaning. I feel like I am a huge source of noise pollution. Even as I put out these blogs in the unknown world of cyber space I wonder why, is anyone even reading them?
At first I think this was more of a cathartic process, maybe a clearing of the mind for me. Now I find my self afraid of creating noise. I heard a young girl on Youtube that said “if you use words in a twisted way they just die and dead words are very sad…” I know she was over acting for the web but her words sunk in really deep. There truly is a sadness in dead words.
In my counseling classes we have been going over the power of listening. I like to say 2 ears one mouth use them accordingly but lately I feel like I have reversed the process. I have been quieter the past few days when I am out in public. I am trying to hear the world and culture around me but all I hear is noise. I feel like there is a big TV on and the channel has gone out and it loudly playing that white noise.
I hear talking but no words, I see conversations going on and see no point. I want to a gathering on Monday and they talked about radical orthodoxy and I had minor input but by the end it was more like blah blah blah blah blah. I looked at the faces of the young people in the group and half of them looked like they wanted to rip put the own eyes. The speaker had lots of large words, compelling historical illustrations and references but there was very little substance and absolutely no effect on a person’s life. The question I have is was this worth my time? Was this worth the time for anyone there? Were we just adding noise to the universe?
There is scientific theory that says every sound that is made out side of a building goes on forever. The sound never stops it never ever stops just goes on and on. Think about that. If that that is true every time we curse, yell, say something negative it never dies out, some where in time and space is every thing we ever said out side a building. I do not know if this thought is real or not but if it is I do not want to add useless sounds to the universe. I do not want to send empty hollow meaningless words out just to prove I have can talk. I really do not want to send negative sound waves on forever.
I have decided that I want to listen to more and try to hear what is really going on around me in this world. I want to see if there is any substance to all this sound that is in this world. I want to cut down the amount of empty meaningless sounds I put into the mix. I have a mind set to add more sounds of love and compassion so who ever is out there, where ever they may be and come across my words will hear the sound that they will want to listen to. I want to add something to all this noise that will stand out from the static.
I pray that God allow me to add sounds of substance, sound of love and sounds of compassion. I pray that I as we all go through life we tune into hearing more of these sounds. I pray that if my words do go on forever than they go on to be heard as those reflections of my faith in Christ and my compassion for the little parts of life I function in. Let it be dear God if it be your will let it be.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Lessons from a computer
Ok what a couple of days!!!! I have been buying parts and rebuilding my home computer system. For those computer geeks out there like me, we (mainly my wife) now have a really nice home base system with a 22 inch monitor. For those that do not know she is an artist and she really needed it.
There have been some very interesting thoughts happing at the same time. You see I took a student loan out that would allow me to buy a new computer. My goal was to purchase a new laptop that mainly my wife to use because I have a work laptop. The problem was that to get a good one and warranty it would have about $400 more than we really had to spend. So I decided to revamp the idea as a whole and upgrade our home system and buy a small play system for my kids. It worked well until I tried to put it all together LOL.
It was then that my plan ran into a ton of snags. I just thought I will simply slap all the parts in and away we go. This did not happen of course. I had all the right pieces and I had a well thought out plan but things just did not come together. I worked for hours to make it do what I knew it should do and be what I knew I should be. All I got was sweaty, frustrated and tried. I had to go to my grad class and while the professor was talking I was not listening. No, I was thinking about the utter failure of my plan and my day and how was I going to get money to finish this thing. No, my class was not that important to me at that moment there surly was no balance. I was stuck on making MY plan work.
Then they professor said this, “in every adversity there are seeds of equally if not exceedingly better lessons to learn.” It took a moment to register but it did! I was not facing adversity in the computer problem I was facing a lesson. My plan, my thoughts, my assumptions were not being fulfilled by and inanimate object that does not care how I feel or what my plan was. No it only knew that somehow the parts were not in the right order. It was not trying to get me angry or cost me money it just could not work because the flow of information was not right.
I have to admit it is then that I saw what I was doing. I was letting and non-living object and process affect my living and emotions. I went home and simply tried another combination of things and WALLA it worked!
Then I wondered have I done this with other things in life? Had I done this with what I feel God wants from me? I mean have most of my life frustrations been from simply not getting MY own way? When you KNOW you have all the right parts and a PERFECT plan then it SHOULD work the way you it is supposed to!!! There is no good reason for the project, ministry, job, the church, an outreach, a party, etc… not to work they way you planned it to.
In the Book of Job it says “I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. (Job 27:4-6) --- How many times have I thought this? I will not give in, even if it is on the inside. All this arrogance and self pity does is cause a person frustration and irritation. Things do not go right because you a have all the parts, they do not go right because you have a plan they go right because it was meant to be the flow of life was in the right order in God.
You see the problem with my computer was that I was stuck in my thoughts, my way, it should have worked and I was going to make it work. I just could not see past what I KNEW to be right. After I stood back I saw that my way was not right, my plan was ok but the method did not work until I thought and understood how the parts were suppose to be ordered. I had to let go of my ego and rework the process and put it together the way it needed to be to work.
Proverbs 21: 2 “All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.” We can have all the right ideas on how to love people around us. We can have all the right team members, the right building, the right look, etc… but when thing don’t go the way we planned we often times we turn into Job. My way is right, I know it is and I am not giving it up.
However if we look the needs of those we want to love into relationship with God need to remember maybe the way things need to be for that to happen is not our planned out way. “The Lord weighs the heart” both of those that are in relationship and those that are with out one with Him. He knows the right way; He knows how to make things flow for His Kingdom to work. We might be frustrated and stuck wondering why things did not or are not working? Instead of looking at things and say what way is needed to see things work and follow that path instead of our own.
If we are to be follower of the Kingdom of God than the way can not follow our ways but it has to be Gods way and that way is truth lived and told to others in Love.
I pray that instead of letting the problems that came up control my reaction I can controll my reaction to counter the problem in the ways that God wants me to.
There have been some very interesting thoughts happing at the same time. You see I took a student loan out that would allow me to buy a new computer. My goal was to purchase a new laptop that mainly my wife to use because I have a work laptop. The problem was that to get a good one and warranty it would have about $400 more than we really had to spend. So I decided to revamp the idea as a whole and upgrade our home system and buy a small play system for my kids. It worked well until I tried to put it all together LOL.
It was then that my plan ran into a ton of snags. I just thought I will simply slap all the parts in and away we go. This did not happen of course. I had all the right pieces and I had a well thought out plan but things just did not come together. I worked for hours to make it do what I knew it should do and be what I knew I should be. All I got was sweaty, frustrated and tried. I had to go to my grad class and while the professor was talking I was not listening. No, I was thinking about the utter failure of my plan and my day and how was I going to get money to finish this thing. No, my class was not that important to me at that moment there surly was no balance. I was stuck on making MY plan work.
Then they professor said this, “in every adversity there are seeds of equally if not exceedingly better lessons to learn.” It took a moment to register but it did! I was not facing adversity in the computer problem I was facing a lesson. My plan, my thoughts, my assumptions were not being fulfilled by and inanimate object that does not care how I feel or what my plan was. No it only knew that somehow the parts were not in the right order. It was not trying to get me angry or cost me money it just could not work because the flow of information was not right.
I have to admit it is then that I saw what I was doing. I was letting and non-living object and process affect my living and emotions. I went home and simply tried another combination of things and WALLA it worked!
Then I wondered have I done this with other things in life? Had I done this with what I feel God wants from me? I mean have most of my life frustrations been from simply not getting MY own way? When you KNOW you have all the right parts and a PERFECT plan then it SHOULD work the way you it is supposed to!!! There is no good reason for the project, ministry, job, the church, an outreach, a party, etc… not to work they way you planned it to.
In the Book of Job it says “I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. (Job 27:4-6) --- How many times have I thought this? I will not give in, even if it is on the inside. All this arrogance and self pity does is cause a person frustration and irritation. Things do not go right because you a have all the parts, they do not go right because you have a plan they go right because it was meant to be the flow of life was in the right order in God.
You see the problem with my computer was that I was stuck in my thoughts, my way, it should have worked and I was going to make it work. I just could not see past what I KNEW to be right. After I stood back I saw that my way was not right, my plan was ok but the method did not work until I thought and understood how the parts were suppose to be ordered. I had to let go of my ego and rework the process and put it together the way it needed to be to work.
Proverbs 21: 2 “All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.” We can have all the right ideas on how to love people around us. We can have all the right team members, the right building, the right look, etc… but when thing don’t go the way we planned we often times we turn into Job. My way is right, I know it is and I am not giving it up.
However if we look the needs of those we want to love into relationship with God need to remember maybe the way things need to be for that to happen is not our planned out way. “The Lord weighs the heart” both of those that are in relationship and those that are with out one with Him. He knows the right way; He knows how to make things flow for His Kingdom to work. We might be frustrated and stuck wondering why things did not or are not working? Instead of looking at things and say what way is needed to see things work and follow that path instead of our own.
If we are to be follower of the Kingdom of God than the way can not follow our ways but it has to be Gods way and that way is truth lived and told to others in Love.
I pray that instead of letting the problems that came up control my reaction I can controll my reaction to counter the problem in the ways that God wants me to.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Lesson from a Styrofoam cup
Today I was drinking form a Styrofoam cup and talk to my wife, ok I was not drinking and talking but you get the idea. As we were talking I noticed the sun hitting my cup and became fascinated by the make up of it. No, I was not ignoring her talking it was during a break in the conversation. This cup was made up of thousands of little individual Styrofoam pieces. Have you ever seen the little balls that are in stuffed animals if not you will have to trust me they are a pain the buttocks. They stick to anything and get all over the place. However, that is exactly what this cup was made up of.
They through some process were pressed flat and stuck together. There were no two pieces alike that I could see. They did not make a pattern nor of any kind. It was a very random and unprocessed grouping of individual pieces. There were actually spots that there were no foam it seemed that what ever was holding them together was also filling in the empty spots. I then broke off a piece of the cup and tried to pull just one of the individual pieces off and away from the others but I could not do it AND let me tell I tried several times. I was amazed how this thing was holding liquid and had been formed into the perfect shape to do so. Then it hit me this little foam cup was a picture of the kingdom of God.
Individually we follow anything we jump on to anything that is near by. The problem is that with a just a little shaking we fall off. There is nothing holding us together or in place in any kind of designed form. I have met a lot of people like this they jump on to the first thing that sounds good but then are quickly shaken off when problems come.
I then let the idea run a little farther and started thinking about how these pieces stayed connected. There was this invisible force holding them in place and no matter how I tried to remove them this force and the other pieces would not let go. This glue or epoxy whatever it is not only held them if actually filled in where there were no pieces. I thought about the verse in the bible that says “no one shall take them from my hand” and got a whole new appreciation for the Kingdom of God and its awesome diversity.
There is no two of us that fit the same way. We are all different, even identical twins are normally 20% genetically different. Some need loud music other worshipful quite music. Some need symbols to help identify with faith. Others need good solid teaching from the word on constant bases. The differences go on and on but we all fit together to form the Kingdom.
God takes all of us odd shaped and individual pieces and through the actions of Jesus and binds us together to form His kingdom representation here on earth. We should be just like that cup we should never let anything take an individual piece. We should hold on to each other come what may. When I tore a piece from this cup not only did many others hold on but so did the glue. Now matter how small a piece the glue was still there.
I believe we have a lot to learn about God from this cup. God wants to put the shape of Kingdom here and now for people to see and experience. I believe to do this he will use all the individual lives that call to Him. Through the actions of Jesus He has glued us together no matter the shape or size of our faith. We need to love each other so tightly that no one individual will be able to be separated from the kingdom.
Unlike this cup though, we are not a finished item. The Kingdom is ever changing and growing adding new pieces to it, never losing the shape the God has in mind. We sometimes only see gaps and holes in this world but we need to remember that God’s love and grace will fill in those gaps. Thank God for the little thing in life that he uses to teach us simple creatures.
My pray is that you and I will see that we are part of the Kingdom and we are held together through faith in Jesus Christ. May we learn to love each other so tightly that no matter what happens we will never let one of us be separated from amongst us. May your Kingdom come Lord! Use me as a part of it!!!
They through some process were pressed flat and stuck together. There were no two pieces alike that I could see. They did not make a pattern nor of any kind. It was a very random and unprocessed grouping of individual pieces. There were actually spots that there were no foam it seemed that what ever was holding them together was also filling in the empty spots. I then broke off a piece of the cup and tried to pull just one of the individual pieces off and away from the others but I could not do it AND let me tell I tried several times. I was amazed how this thing was holding liquid and had been formed into the perfect shape to do so. Then it hit me this little foam cup was a picture of the kingdom of God.
Individually we follow anything we jump on to anything that is near by. The problem is that with a just a little shaking we fall off. There is nothing holding us together or in place in any kind of designed form. I have met a lot of people like this they jump on to the first thing that sounds good but then are quickly shaken off when problems come.
I then let the idea run a little farther and started thinking about how these pieces stayed connected. There was this invisible force holding them in place and no matter how I tried to remove them this force and the other pieces would not let go. This glue or epoxy whatever it is not only held them if actually filled in where there were no pieces. I thought about the verse in the bible that says “no one shall take them from my hand” and got a whole new appreciation for the Kingdom of God and its awesome diversity.
There is no two of us that fit the same way. We are all different, even identical twins are normally 20% genetically different. Some need loud music other worshipful quite music. Some need symbols to help identify with faith. Others need good solid teaching from the word on constant bases. The differences go on and on but we all fit together to form the Kingdom.
God takes all of us odd shaped and individual pieces and through the actions of Jesus and binds us together to form His kingdom representation here on earth. We should be just like that cup we should never let anything take an individual piece. We should hold on to each other come what may. When I tore a piece from this cup not only did many others hold on but so did the glue. Now matter how small a piece the glue was still there.
I believe we have a lot to learn about God from this cup. God wants to put the shape of Kingdom here and now for people to see and experience. I believe to do this he will use all the individual lives that call to Him. Through the actions of Jesus He has glued us together no matter the shape or size of our faith. We need to love each other so tightly that no one individual will be able to be separated from the kingdom.
Unlike this cup though, we are not a finished item. The Kingdom is ever changing and growing adding new pieces to it, never losing the shape the God has in mind. We sometimes only see gaps and holes in this world but we need to remember that God’s love and grace will fill in those gaps. Thank God for the little thing in life that he uses to teach us simple creatures.
My pray is that you and I will see that we are part of the Kingdom and we are held together through faith in Jesus Christ. May we learn to love each other so tightly that no matter what happens we will never let one of us be separated from amongst us. May your Kingdom come Lord! Use me as a part of it!!!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
1 John 3: 13-21
Today I am meditating on 1 John 13 to 21 (NIV)
13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. This is very interesting to me. If I am reading this right the more we love the more this world hates us! Not a real good motivational point! But I understand that this world has a hard time with unconditional love. Everything has to have something in it for me, everything has an hidden agenda! It is true love that is in Christ does have a hidden motive to show and introduce people to even more love than they can imagine! In a world of hate and self centered culture people that love will not be welcomed to easily.
Once we decide to follow Christ one of the ways we know we have changed is that we love our “brothers” for it says those that do not remains in “death” that in my opinion means sin or with out God. The question I have is how we define the word “brother?” If it means humanity at large than that means the church in America has a problem. We drop the ball in loving those that chose not to follow God or to follow God in other than our way. We have to love the people but not their actions but how many churches really draw those that are seeking or just wondering about God? We look at them as projects to fix not people to love.
What if we define brother as fellow Christ followers? Then we have lot of work to do to stop the internal hate of other Christ followers. We get this one, normally ours, church is right mentality maybe not on purpose but it is what happens. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. These are strong words! They are right from the bible their not mine! If we hate our brothers than we lose eternal life or does it mean we never really had eternal life? I will let you talk to God about that one for yourself but it is what the Bible says! Over all I think Jesus REALLY wants us to love a whole lot more than we do in most church communities, both internal and externally of the community we are part of!
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. You see Jesus saw us in need of love and forgiveness! He then gave the most precious material possession He had, his body. His example was extreme for us but His love was embodied not only in words but ultimate action on the cross. What more should we be willing to see those in need and give of that what we have to share with those that do not have. I do not suggest that everyone we meet we have to or can we help but there are time the Jesus walks into our path those we SEE and KNOW we can and are supposed to help. Those are the times that “I” think God watches us to see if we get it. To see if we understand what love really is!
19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. I like this and at the same time REALLY do not like it! It hits vary close to home unfortunately. I am speaking for myself but I know that there have been times where my heart was not at peace and I knew that there was something out of place in my life between God and me. I knew that He knew but I did not want to admit it because then I would have to admit to be ALL too human. Once I quit being a mule headed jack*** and admitted my stubbornness to Jesus, my heart some how felt a peace over come it. I do not claim to understand this but it is like when a really bad thunder storm suddenly clears from the sky. There is that amazing feeling of change, the sky breaks and the sun seems so amazing because of the difference that you are feeling. That is what it is like for me.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. Once I have cleared my heart and life in raw openness to God than I do feel like I can approach God with a confidence that I did not have when I was holding on to that (whatever) I was holding. I remember when I wanted to ask my (human) father for something I never did it when I had a guilty conscious or if I had to I was really hard, compared to when I had nothing to feel guilty about, like staying out to late and knowing he knows but is just not saying anything to make all the worse!
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. This seems like a no brainer but is can be so hard when people judge you or put you down. It can be so hard when they think you are wrong for a personal belief that you feel is right before God! We have to remember the word is not playing around here WE have to love people or you will have to deal with Vs. 15!!!
I pray the God will help me and all that read this, truly love all people and do so because it is only through that love that comes from a relationship with Jesus that others to may come to know just how awesome this relationship is and consider joining the journey with me!!!
13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. This is very interesting to me. If I am reading this right the more we love the more this world hates us! Not a real good motivational point! But I understand that this world has a hard time with unconditional love. Everything has to have something in it for me, everything has an hidden agenda! It is true love that is in Christ does have a hidden motive to show and introduce people to even more love than they can imagine! In a world of hate and self centered culture people that love will not be welcomed to easily.
Once we decide to follow Christ one of the ways we know we have changed is that we love our “brothers” for it says those that do not remains in “death” that in my opinion means sin or with out God. The question I have is how we define the word “brother?” If it means humanity at large than that means the church in America has a problem. We drop the ball in loving those that chose not to follow God or to follow God in other than our way. We have to love the people but not their actions but how many churches really draw those that are seeking or just wondering about God? We look at them as projects to fix not people to love.
What if we define brother as fellow Christ followers? Then we have lot of work to do to stop the internal hate of other Christ followers. We get this one, normally ours, church is right mentality maybe not on purpose but it is what happens. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. These are strong words! They are right from the bible their not mine! If we hate our brothers than we lose eternal life or does it mean we never really had eternal life? I will let you talk to God about that one for yourself but it is what the Bible says! Over all I think Jesus REALLY wants us to love a whole lot more than we do in most church communities, both internal and externally of the community we are part of!
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. You see Jesus saw us in need of love and forgiveness! He then gave the most precious material possession He had, his body. His example was extreme for us but His love was embodied not only in words but ultimate action on the cross. What more should we be willing to see those in need and give of that what we have to share with those that do not have. I do not suggest that everyone we meet we have to or can we help but there are time the Jesus walks into our path those we SEE and KNOW we can and are supposed to help. Those are the times that “I” think God watches us to see if we get it. To see if we understand what love really is!
19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. I like this and at the same time REALLY do not like it! It hits vary close to home unfortunately. I am speaking for myself but I know that there have been times where my heart was not at peace and I knew that there was something out of place in my life between God and me. I knew that He knew but I did not want to admit it because then I would have to admit to be ALL too human. Once I quit being a mule headed jack*** and admitted my stubbornness to Jesus, my heart some how felt a peace over come it. I do not claim to understand this but it is like when a really bad thunder storm suddenly clears from the sky. There is that amazing feeling of change, the sky breaks and the sun seems so amazing because of the difference that you are feeling. That is what it is like for me.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. Once I have cleared my heart and life in raw openness to God than I do feel like I can approach God with a confidence that I did not have when I was holding on to that (whatever) I was holding. I remember when I wanted to ask my (human) father for something I never did it when I had a guilty conscious or if I had to I was really hard, compared to when I had nothing to feel guilty about, like staying out to late and knowing he knows but is just not saying anything to make all the worse!
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. This seems like a no brainer but is can be so hard when people judge you or put you down. It can be so hard when they think you are wrong for a personal belief that you feel is right before God! We have to remember the word is not playing around here WE have to love people or you will have to deal with Vs. 15!!!
I pray the God will help me and all that read this, truly love all people and do so because it is only through that love that comes from a relationship with Jesus that others to may come to know just how awesome this relationship is and consider joining the journey with me!!!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Love each other...
Well today is mainly a recovery week for us. We have been hit every which way with sicknesses. The entire family has been fighting sickness for about 3 months now. We seem to cycle one after another. So send up a prayer for us if you feel lead to! We feel that it is finally coming to an end (we pray)!
I did have a thought today though. Have you ever thought about all the different churches and how this must sound to people that have never been to church? I was thinking about how to explain this division to people. I mean how do you respond if one asks you why can’t the all the Christian churches get along? Why do they think the others are wrong?
It seems that a God that loves and wants people to live in unity is sure subdivided on rule interpretations.
The thing is how can we argue with that? It dose not only seem like it is but it is exactly what it is. I like what John Wimber (the founder of the Vineyard Churches) said “he tired to find God in every church he went to.” This is the heart that we need to adapt for the coming years to help people find their way into a relationship with God. We need to lose the negativity in our language and attitudes about others styles of Christian churches. We need to allow our views and our individual faith paths to be the main thing we converse about, not why we are better then others or why others are wrong and headed to “hell.”
We have to agree that we can be different in our approaches and even interpretations on the vague ideas such as drinking (not being an alcoholic) and smoking. We have to agree that Jesus is the way and there are absolutes which the bible is clear about but there is so much that is not spelled out in absolutes. We each have to work out things like smoking and language usage in fear and good consciousness before God.
I am not suggesting we water down the truth or that one has no responsibility to do their best to avoid sin(ing). I am saying that we can not go about blasting other types of followers of Christ. Jesus said if they are not against me then they are for me! How can we, and who do we think we are going about saying my type of church is really the right way and theirs is not.
I think we need to say I believe in Jesus and what that means to me is…. And let the others that follow a different methodology alone because they follow the same Jesus. I know that if I had to try to figure out what is what in Christianity I would be drawn to those who preach what they believe and leave the rest to God.
Just a thought from a man with a head cold LOL!!
Blessings…
I did have a thought today though. Have you ever thought about all the different churches and how this must sound to people that have never been to church? I was thinking about how to explain this division to people. I mean how do you respond if one asks you why can’t the all the Christian churches get along? Why do they think the others are wrong?
It seems that a God that loves and wants people to live in unity is sure subdivided on rule interpretations.
The thing is how can we argue with that? It dose not only seem like it is but it is exactly what it is. I like what John Wimber (the founder of the Vineyard Churches) said “he tired to find God in every church he went to.” This is the heart that we need to adapt for the coming years to help people find their way into a relationship with God. We need to lose the negativity in our language and attitudes about others styles of Christian churches. We need to allow our views and our individual faith paths to be the main thing we converse about, not why we are better then others or why others are wrong and headed to “hell.”
We have to agree that we can be different in our approaches and even interpretations on the vague ideas such as drinking (not being an alcoholic) and smoking. We have to agree that Jesus is the way and there are absolutes which the bible is clear about but there is so much that is not spelled out in absolutes. We each have to work out things like smoking and language usage in fear and good consciousness before God.
I am not suggesting we water down the truth or that one has no responsibility to do their best to avoid sin(ing). I am saying that we can not go about blasting other types of followers of Christ. Jesus said if they are not against me then they are for me! How can we, and who do we think we are going about saying my type of church is really the right way and theirs is not.
I think we need to say I believe in Jesus and what that means to me is…. And let the others that follow a different methodology alone because they follow the same Jesus. I know that if I had to try to figure out what is what in Christianity I would be drawn to those who preach what they believe and leave the rest to God.
Just a thought from a man with a head cold LOL!!
Blessings…
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Are we addicted to process?
Addicted to process? That is the question running in my head today. They say that an addict is someone who can not function on a normal level with out a given substance but I think it that the psychological aspect of addiction can have the same effect. Think about normal everyday life. When you wake up what is the first thing you do? When people shower some studies have said that 99% of people shower the exact same way every time. Psychologists say that we all have an internal compulsions and that is why we do the same things the same way. I would argue that we are addicted to process. (note I said we)
When I read about the shower thing I tried to change the process and I found it very humorous. I had to really think about what I was doing. It actually messed my day up because I was not able to just think about what was going on that day while I was showering. I have since experimented with this but find it much easier to just let process of the shower happen. How many time have you drove to work and it was like an auto pilot was driving, you arrive at work to almost a surprise jolt when you come to a stop in your “normal” parking spot. I have sometimes been heading in the same direction I go to work going someplace completely different only to make the turn to go to work anyway like it was CALLING ME.
Process is not a bad thing. We live in a world of processes. We pay our bills on or by and given date (hopefully). We have set time to get oil changes on our cars. We go to work, eat, and sleep based on processes. It starts in childhood and goes through school years everything is done in process. I mean even God set up day and night design. So why do I say we are addicted when it seem totally normal? The main reason is our culture is shifting they are trying to stop the process of things while many especially in the church are not willing to let go of their processed ways.
The generation of running the rat race ended with the boomer generation (apx. 1950 to 1960) as they went in to society they wanted things processed they needed to have control over every aspect of their life including there faith. Life was set to a schedule and change was only good if you planned it. Then Gen-X comes along and we lived in modern process but we start asking if there is any reason that we had to follow the processes? We start teaching our children think for your self, discover your own paths and truths. Yes, we still have a very processed world but it is changing fast.
To illustrate what I mean lets look at work dress codes. In the past it was suite and tie for men and dresses and blouses for woman. Then the ties with no jacket for men and dress pants made it in for women. Then polo shirts and Dockers for the guys and a wide verity of dress for women was the rule. Now we have business casual. “In general, business casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed yet neat and pulled together”1 this according to Monster.com is the correct way now to dress. Times and processes change that is a fact but can we stop being addicted to process.
In over all life I would argue no, but the post-modern generation and those with that mind set are trying to do just that. If we look at the world around us it has become a place full of Relativity, everything is relativity to the moment in which it happens. If a man steals a TV in this time of relativity we have to look at all the factors around the moment not just the robbery. What was the “true” motive, was there a psychological issue, was the home owner at fault for being in the careless? Gone are the days of the robber is guilty, period.
To have absolute answers you must have absolute truth and in an age of relativity that seems imposable. I heard the head of Rush Communication, which owns a massive media empire reaching the post-modern generation, on TV last night saying the all we have to do is see that we are all the same and no matter what religion we are we are all finding “God” in our own way. He said that anyone that says their religion is better than another is out of touch with the world and needs to let go and expand their view to a higher consciousness.
You see we boomers, busters and even early Gen-Xer’s have pushed the process in religion so far that we have by accident alienated people. We say, and so we should say, that Jesus is the only way to heaven. The thing is many think that for this message to get across we have to have a church building and a seminary trained preacher to tell people why we say that. We need to have the work of the kingdom done by “trained” or processed people. They are the ones the “know” how to lead people to God. Our churches are set up for 1hr to 1:15 minutes and it is choreographed most of the time in perfect process. I head my fifteen year old niece say “church is like fast food it taste ok but nothing last with you.” That is scary to ME!!
Now no matter how unprocessed we get there will always be underlying processes but I think a couple of the keys to see things change is:
1 - We must stop thinking that only people who are “trained” can work for God. We each have our own sphere of influence ---
With in these spheres WE are the ones that can make a difference. We can not wait until we can bring a processed trained person in to our individual world. We must believe that God has each one of us here and now to be His representatives to those we can influence. You see I think it is a mistake that we treat the church as a “self” and that IT has a sphere of influence. The individual is what makes the church and it is the individuals that will impact the world around us with the truth of the Gospel in a relativity based world.
2 – The second key I believe in is releasing the “absolute” process out of the church. This means being much more organic in the flow of a gathering or service which ever word you like better. We know we will have music and we know we will hear a word from the “pastor” and we know we will have prayer in it. We know that normally we run about an hour(ish). However, we must also let it be known that at any given time music could be the whole gathering, or maybe the word takes most of the time, maybe prayer will be the call of the day. It is the flowing non-absolute process that we must embrace in order to teach truth to a world that is relative.
Our gatherings must also be relative in that we must allow God to work in the moment how God wants to. The bible says that our path of salvation is individual and that we must work it out for ourselves. It is our over all job to be God to people and then allow each moment to be “relative” to the person(s) on how he wants to work not how we like to Him to work based on our process.
The easiest way for us to lose the prepackaged processed God is to learn to LOVE and converse with people that think in relativity. If we can influence people and talk with them about what we believe is “truth” then every conversation becomes a opportunity for God truth to get into a person and His truth is what will being change not our process. Relative people still hunger for something to believe in but when nothing seems real than nothing will be real. That is our challenge, to be real and loving until God works in His own relative way (which brings them to the truth in Him) to the person whom we are friends with and love right where they are.
Reference : 1 - http://content.monster.com/articles/3491/18152/1/default.aspx
When I read about the shower thing I tried to change the process and I found it very humorous. I had to really think about what I was doing. It actually messed my day up because I was not able to just think about what was going on that day while I was showering. I have since experimented with this but find it much easier to just let process of the shower happen. How many time have you drove to work and it was like an auto pilot was driving, you arrive at work to almost a surprise jolt when you come to a stop in your “normal” parking spot. I have sometimes been heading in the same direction I go to work going someplace completely different only to make the turn to go to work anyway like it was CALLING ME.
Process is not a bad thing. We live in a world of processes. We pay our bills on or by and given date (hopefully). We have set time to get oil changes on our cars. We go to work, eat, and sleep based on processes. It starts in childhood and goes through school years everything is done in process. I mean even God set up day and night design. So why do I say we are addicted when it seem totally normal? The main reason is our culture is shifting they are trying to stop the process of things while many especially in the church are not willing to let go of their processed ways.
The generation of running the rat race ended with the boomer generation (apx. 1950 to 1960) as they went in to society they wanted things processed they needed to have control over every aspect of their life including there faith. Life was set to a schedule and change was only good if you planned it. Then Gen-X comes along and we lived in modern process but we start asking if there is any reason that we had to follow the processes? We start teaching our children think for your self, discover your own paths and truths. Yes, we still have a very processed world but it is changing fast.
To illustrate what I mean lets look at work dress codes. In the past it was suite and tie for men and dresses and blouses for woman. Then the ties with no jacket for men and dress pants made it in for women. Then polo shirts and Dockers for the guys and a wide verity of dress for women was the rule. Now we have business casual. “In general, business casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed yet neat and pulled together”1 this according to Monster.com is the correct way now to dress. Times and processes change that is a fact but can we stop being addicted to process.
In over all life I would argue no, but the post-modern generation and those with that mind set are trying to do just that. If we look at the world around us it has become a place full of Relativity, everything is relativity to the moment in which it happens. If a man steals a TV in this time of relativity we have to look at all the factors around the moment not just the robbery. What was the “true” motive, was there a psychological issue, was the home owner at fault for being in the careless? Gone are the days of the robber is guilty, period.
To have absolute answers you must have absolute truth and in an age of relativity that seems imposable. I heard the head of Rush Communication, which owns a massive media empire reaching the post-modern generation, on TV last night saying the all we have to do is see that we are all the same and no matter what religion we are we are all finding “God” in our own way. He said that anyone that says their religion is better than another is out of touch with the world and needs to let go and expand their view to a higher consciousness.
You see we boomers, busters and even early Gen-Xer’s have pushed the process in religion so far that we have by accident alienated people. We say, and so we should say, that Jesus is the only way to heaven. The thing is many think that for this message to get across we have to have a church building and a seminary trained preacher to tell people why we say that. We need to have the work of the kingdom done by “trained” or processed people. They are the ones the “know” how to lead people to God. Our churches are set up for 1hr to 1:15 minutes and it is choreographed most of the time in perfect process. I head my fifteen year old niece say “church is like fast food it taste ok but nothing last with you.” That is scary to ME!!
Now no matter how unprocessed we get there will always be underlying processes but I think a couple of the keys to see things change is:
1 - We must stop thinking that only people who are “trained” can work for God. We each have our own sphere of influence ---
With in these spheres WE are the ones that can make a difference. We can not wait until we can bring a processed trained person in to our individual world. We must believe that God has each one of us here and now to be His representatives to those we can influence. You see I think it is a mistake that we treat the church as a “self” and that IT has a sphere of influence. The individual is what makes the church and it is the individuals that will impact the world around us with the truth of the Gospel in a relativity based world.
2 – The second key I believe in is releasing the “absolute” process out of the church. This means being much more organic in the flow of a gathering or service which ever word you like better. We know we will have music and we know we will hear a word from the “pastor” and we know we will have prayer in it. We know that normally we run about an hour(ish). However, we must also let it be known that at any given time music could be the whole gathering, or maybe the word takes most of the time, maybe prayer will be the call of the day. It is the flowing non-absolute process that we must embrace in order to teach truth to a world that is relative.
Our gatherings must also be relative in that we must allow God to work in the moment how God wants to. The bible says that our path of salvation is individual and that we must work it out for ourselves. It is our over all job to be God to people and then allow each moment to be “relative” to the person(s) on how he wants to work not how we like to Him to work based on our process.
The easiest way for us to lose the prepackaged processed God is to learn to LOVE and converse with people that think in relativity. If we can influence people and talk with them about what we believe is “truth” then every conversation becomes a opportunity for God truth to get into a person and His truth is what will being change not our process. Relative people still hunger for something to believe in but when nothing seems real than nothing will be real. That is our challenge, to be real and loving until God works in His own relative way (which brings them to the truth in Him) to the person whom we are friends with and love right where they are.
Reference : 1 - http://content.monster.com/articles/3491/18152/1/default.aspx
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
believe in change
Today we took the kids to a free movie the local theater offer for families in the summer. We went to see the veggie tale movie about Jonah. The other option was a Garfield movie. It started at 10 am but we had to be there earlier to get in we were told. We pulled up at 9:30 and there was a line of about 40 kids and families already in line.
As we got in the theater several hundred other families came in and a couple of summer camp busses. Once we got robbed at the concession stand for $10 for a small drink and small popcorn and a micro bag of skittles. We rushed to get our seats. The seating was for about 150-200 maybe a little more, so we got our seats and waited for the in flow of people. In the half hour we waited it got maybe 60 more people. That meant that all the others including a Christian day camp went to see the other movie. Not a big shock to me. May be movie based on God’s love can not hold up against Garfield.
As we watched the movie there is one scene in particular that stood out to me. Jonah was setting at the end waiting for the destruction of the city that had just asked God to forgive their ways so God would spare them. Now the dialog is what got to me. Jonah said something to the effect of: “No, if God will forgive people like them then I wish I was back in the whale!” This just stated me thinking about our mindset and forgiveness.
We say we want to see people come into relationship with God and to do that they must ask to be forgiven and God is willing to forgive them whenever and wherever, but how do we really feel about it. I think of churches I have been in the past. Several times there were people that came to trust in God and it was almost like shock to some of the people around the church. They did not know how to react nor did they even really believe this person had made a “real” change. These are the same people that always pray for revival and salvations of the “lost.” The thing that happened was either this person would “fall away” or they would move to another church. When you feel unwanted you never stay in that place for long and sometimes newly changed people rather go back to their old friends because like Jonah everyone was waiting for you fail anyway.
I believe in the idea of self fulfilling prophesies is life. If you believe you are a loser that that is what you become, if others tell you are not smart and you believe them than you actions will follow. As anything there are exceptions to the rule but over all I think this is true. If this is true as a principle, then would this not apply to the church as well? Do we really expect people to change or are we doing what Jonah did? Jonah did his obligation in telling the Ninavites about Gods’ love but he had no expectations that God would forgive or that they could or would really change to follow God.
When we have an opportunity to tell the Good News of God’s Love do we expect it to change people? What happens in a church or your own life if God puts in to the path a drug dealer, spouse abuser, homosexual or someone that is “just one of those really lost people?” Can you expect God to really forgive them? Do you really believe that they can truly change? Or are we like Jonah even though he saw change, heard change and new that God was all powerful he still did not except peoples forgiven life. As we walk the path we are on remember to believe positively for people (what you sow you get, type of thing) and expect to see God change lives and not hold a heart like Jonah for all it got him was a lonely and disastrous end.
As we got in the theater several hundred other families came in and a couple of summer camp busses. Once we got robbed at the concession stand for $10 for a small drink and small popcorn and a micro bag of skittles. We rushed to get our seats. The seating was for about 150-200 maybe a little more, so we got our seats and waited for the in flow of people. In the half hour we waited it got maybe 60 more people. That meant that all the others including a Christian day camp went to see the other movie. Not a big shock to me. May be movie based on God’s love can not hold up against Garfield.
As we watched the movie there is one scene in particular that stood out to me. Jonah was setting at the end waiting for the destruction of the city that had just asked God to forgive their ways so God would spare them. Now the dialog is what got to me. Jonah said something to the effect of: “No, if God will forgive people like them then I wish I was back in the whale!” This just stated me thinking about our mindset and forgiveness.
We say we want to see people come into relationship with God and to do that they must ask to be forgiven and God is willing to forgive them whenever and wherever, but how do we really feel about it. I think of churches I have been in the past. Several times there were people that came to trust in God and it was almost like shock to some of the people around the church. They did not know how to react nor did they even really believe this person had made a “real” change. These are the same people that always pray for revival and salvations of the “lost.” The thing that happened was either this person would “fall away” or they would move to another church. When you feel unwanted you never stay in that place for long and sometimes newly changed people rather go back to their old friends because like Jonah everyone was waiting for you fail anyway.
I believe in the idea of self fulfilling prophesies is life. If you believe you are a loser that that is what you become, if others tell you are not smart and you believe them than you actions will follow. As anything there are exceptions to the rule but over all I think this is true. If this is true as a principle, then would this not apply to the church as well? Do we really expect people to change or are we doing what Jonah did? Jonah did his obligation in telling the Ninavites about Gods’ love but he had no expectations that God would forgive or that they could or would really change to follow God.
When we have an opportunity to tell the Good News of God’s Love do we expect it to change people? What happens in a church or your own life if God puts in to the path a drug dealer, spouse abuser, homosexual or someone that is “just one of those really lost people?” Can you expect God to really forgive them? Do you really believe that they can truly change? Or are we like Jonah even though he saw change, heard change and new that God was all powerful he still did not except peoples forgiven life. As we walk the path we are on remember to believe positively for people (what you sow you get, type of thing) and expect to see God change lives and not hold a heart like Jonah for all it got him was a lonely and disastrous end.
Love you neighbor as your self --- Jesus
Monday, June 4, 2007
Walk in the mall relfections
Well today I had a chance to take a walk in two of the most popular stores in the local mall with the teens/twenties generations. One of these stores was full of black and red clothing, lots of spiked stuff. It sold the “extreme music” and it had t-shirts with pop culture icons and sayings. Oddly enough they also were selling shirts with old timer bands like Slayer and Mega-death. The other store had much of the same but it upped the anti on the sexually focused and drug related items. Some of you already know what stores I am talking about.
Now I would love to see everyone that calls themselves a “Christian” would take time to walk through theses and other stores like these. Then again maybe I don’t? You see there were several younger people in these stores and they looked at me like I was way out of my place by being in there. Now this is where I worry about other “Christians.” How did I react to them? How did I react to the stuff in the store? That is what they were watching with real interest. I put on the head sets and took time to listen to the music, tried on a spike wrist band and even wanted to buy a couple of shirts and really cool pair of shoes I found there. None of the customers actually approached me but they soon accepted me into their environment.
Now I wonder what if I had gone in there only to get a dose of reality instead of trying to understand and being part of the culture. You see to just go in there to see the SIN that these stores are spreading or to see how far gone our culture is, would be a pointless trip. We already know that the evil one is real and he is trying to kill, steal, and destroy our world. If I had reacted with disgust (body language says a lot!) or started to rant and rave about the evil that is in that stores I would have pushed those in the stores even farther into the dark land.
Now, I did not really like the negative stuff nor can I say that I was happy about the stuff children could experience in these stores but I have to say it was an experiential walk through. The sounds, colors and environment was, exactly what it was. There was no wondering what they were selling or who they we targeting. They were not ashamed of their feelings or beliefs at all. They said what they wanted to say with out waiting for approval or fear of others reactions.
Like I said this is nothing overly new to anyone with the post modern mind set. I did think about one couple I say in the store with the sex stuff. They were looking at the relationship enhancing equipment and games. They were asking each other which game to buy and as I approached they scurried away like a cockroaches when the lights come on. I found that very interesting because here they are in a shop that sells this stuff and yet they acted like they were guilty of something. I then noticed a WWJD bracelet on the ladies wrist and neither had a wedding ring on. They in fact moved from buying a sex game to going right out the front door. Why?
Years ago the people I was around would have said God placed you there to keep them from sinning, of course they would have next said I was sinning for being there, but God used me because I was in the righteous state of mind. LOL sorry it sounds so odd to me. Anyway, why did they run out? I do not know I will never know but I then began to wonder if we are that scared when it comes to sharing what we believe because we know what we are inside. I am not against relationship enhancing equipment or games at all. So I would not have said anything to them but they, mostly she, ran way. I hope that I am strong enough to be who I am, where I am with out running away. I think the lessons for me and maybe some others are two fold.
1 – If you are doing something make sure you are doing it with self conviction and do not run away if others approach. Let your yes be yes and your no be no – believe in what you do or do not do it!
2 – If you venture into an area that is not known to you or that is opposite of who you are be like Jesus, be in it to the point that those that call the place home turf accept you but be separate enough for them to notice the difference.
Until next time!!!
Now I would love to see everyone that calls themselves a “Christian” would take time to walk through theses and other stores like these. Then again maybe I don’t? You see there were several younger people in these stores and they looked at me like I was way out of my place by being in there. Now this is where I worry about other “Christians.” How did I react to them? How did I react to the stuff in the store? That is what they were watching with real interest. I put on the head sets and took time to listen to the music, tried on a spike wrist band and even wanted to buy a couple of shirts and really cool pair of shoes I found there. None of the customers actually approached me but they soon accepted me into their environment.
Now I wonder what if I had gone in there only to get a dose of reality instead of trying to understand and being part of the culture. You see to just go in there to see the SIN that these stores are spreading or to see how far gone our culture is, would be a pointless trip. We already know that the evil one is real and he is trying to kill, steal, and destroy our world. If I had reacted with disgust (body language says a lot!) or started to rant and rave about the evil that is in that stores I would have pushed those in the stores even farther into the dark land.
Now, I did not really like the negative stuff nor can I say that I was happy about the stuff children could experience in these stores but I have to say it was an experiential walk through. The sounds, colors and environment was, exactly what it was. There was no wondering what they were selling or who they we targeting. They were not ashamed of their feelings or beliefs at all. They said what they wanted to say with out waiting for approval or fear of others reactions.
Like I said this is nothing overly new to anyone with the post modern mind set. I did think about one couple I say in the store with the sex stuff. They were looking at the relationship enhancing equipment and games. They were asking each other which game to buy and as I approached they scurried away like a cockroaches when the lights come on. I found that very interesting because here they are in a shop that sells this stuff and yet they acted like they were guilty of something. I then noticed a WWJD bracelet on the ladies wrist and neither had a wedding ring on. They in fact moved from buying a sex game to going right out the front door. Why?
Years ago the people I was around would have said God placed you there to keep them from sinning, of course they would have next said I was sinning for being there, but God used me because I was in the righteous state of mind. LOL sorry it sounds so odd to me. Anyway, why did they run out? I do not know I will never know but I then began to wonder if we are that scared when it comes to sharing what we believe because we know what we are inside. I am not against relationship enhancing equipment or games at all. So I would not have said anything to them but they, mostly she, ran way. I hope that I am strong enough to be who I am, where I am with out running away. I think the lessons for me and maybe some others are two fold.
1 – If you are doing something make sure you are doing it with self conviction and do not run away if others approach. Let your yes be yes and your no be no – believe in what you do or do not do it!
2 – If you venture into an area that is not known to you or that is opposite of who you are be like Jesus, be in it to the point that those that call the place home turf accept you but be separate enough for them to notice the difference.
Until next time!!!
HOW??????
I see them walking in the malls –
I see those drinking lattes at the coffee shops –
Some look so confident and others look so defiant –
Both are just hiding behind a wall for protection…
Yet I hear their souls crying for a direction –
Than I hear you asking me:
Reach them, teach them, and be Me to them –
Lift Me up to them so I can draw them to Me –
I stand here at a loss –
I have no idea how to do what you are asking me to do?
I hear you asking me:
Reach them, teach them, and be Me to them –
Lift Me up to them so I can draw them to Me –
How do I reach them –
How do teach them –
Our culture is shutting down my voice it is saying there is no truth or absolutes –
Lord I am afraid of messing up for you…
Still I hear you asking me to
Reach them, teach them, and be you to them –
Lift you up to them so you can draw them to you –
I sit here crying waiting for answer from you -----
Then from deep inside I hear your reply
Love them, be friends with them, met them where they are…
Then you can let your life -- be the truth
Let my words --- be the voice
And I will draw them to me…
I see those drinking lattes at the coffee shops –
Some look so confident and others look so defiant –
Both are just hiding behind a wall for protection…
Yet I hear their souls crying for a direction –
Than I hear you asking me:
Reach them, teach them, and be Me to them –
Lift Me up to them so I can draw them to Me –
I stand here at a loss –
I have no idea how to do what you are asking me to do?
I hear you asking me:
Reach them, teach them, and be Me to them –
Lift Me up to them so I can draw them to Me –
How do I reach them –
How do teach them –
Our culture is shutting down my voice it is saying there is no truth or absolutes –
Lord I am afraid of messing up for you…
Still I hear you asking me to
Reach them, teach them, and be you to them –
Lift you up to them so you can draw them to you –
I sit here crying waiting for answer from you -----
Then from deep inside I hear your reply
Love them, be friends with them, met them where they are…
Then you can let your life -- be the truth
Let my words --- be the voice
And I will draw them to me…
Sunday, June 3, 2007
God hears our questions
Today on the way back from our picnic at the park when my son made me realize that not sometime questions no matter how valid they may be to the asker might not be answerable. We where driving by a popular area that is used as a beach mainly on the weekends and holidays. It is really just a long stretch of sand that leads to a long connecting bridge between St Petersburg and Tampa.
As we drove by he said “why do people like this place?” I, wanting to be the wise insightful father said “I don’t know.” (deep, huh?) He then continued “What beach has the record for the most people?” Again being the wise and well trained counselor said “Son don not ask questions that no one can answer or even know!” He quickly answered “Well how do I know if a question is a question that no one knows if I don’t ask?” I sat the driving and shrinking by the minute. Yes I have a BA in psychology and almost a MA in Mental health counseling and I had missed the most obvious simple thing. All I could do is laugh and say that he a very good point. I told him he could ask any question and I would tell him if it was a question that no one really knows. The question that he asked was from a good heart with a real honest curiosity and desire to know but that still did not make it a question that was valid.
I have to say his observation is a very good lesson for all of us as we talk to God. I started thinking how many times have I asked God a invalid question. He, unlike me, can answer any question we can think of but if we ask invalid questions why would he? I have asked things that made excellent since to me and I was very curios. I remember asking things like why did my friend die or why are things so hard right now? You see these are good questions but to God they are like my son’s they have no point. You see I cared for my sons questions but there was no point to answering him nor was any answer I gave him could he understand or comprehend.
You see I think and I said “I” think that God has the reaction. When we ask question that if he was to answer would cause more confusion, I think he chooses not to answer right away. I know that when we were in one of our darkest times in life, when things if they could go they did go wrong. I had no job, we had no money, and our car broke down. I was asking why? I got nothing in return. I felt like we were just being blown off by God. Now I know that even if he had answered I would not have understood or been able to process it.
The Foot Prints in the Sand is a classic example. Do you think that the person looking back during the single feet prints was not asking questions? See god was there for us in these tough time even though he chose not to answer he was there. The questions were like my sons it was valid but had no answer that would help him. So I feel god is with us!!!
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Next time you ask a question with no response remember maybe the question would require an answer to big for our minds. Remember and be blessed because we believe he hears us no matter what.
As we drove by he said “why do people like this place?” I, wanting to be the wise insightful father said “I don’t know.” (deep, huh?) He then continued “What beach has the record for the most people?” Again being the wise and well trained counselor said “Son don not ask questions that no one can answer or even know!” He quickly answered “Well how do I know if a question is a question that no one knows if I don’t ask?” I sat the driving and shrinking by the minute. Yes I have a BA in psychology and almost a MA in Mental health counseling and I had missed the most obvious simple thing. All I could do is laugh and say that he a very good point. I told him he could ask any question and I would tell him if it was a question that no one really knows. The question that he asked was from a good heart with a real honest curiosity and desire to know but that still did not make it a question that was valid.
I have to say his observation is a very good lesson for all of us as we talk to God. I started thinking how many times have I asked God a invalid question. He, unlike me, can answer any question we can think of but if we ask invalid questions why would he? I have asked things that made excellent since to me and I was very curios. I remember asking things like why did my friend die or why are things so hard right now? You see these are good questions but to God they are like my son’s they have no point. You see I cared for my sons questions but there was no point to answering him nor was any answer I gave him could he understand or comprehend.
You see I think and I said “I” think that God has the reaction. When we ask question that if he was to answer would cause more confusion, I think he chooses not to answer right away. I know that when we were in one of our darkest times in life, when things if they could go they did go wrong. I had no job, we had no money, and our car broke down. I was asking why? I got nothing in return. I felt like we were just being blown off by God. Now I know that even if he had answered I would not have understood or been able to process it.
The Foot Prints in the Sand is a classic example. Do you think that the person looking back during the single feet prints was not asking questions? See god was there for us in these tough time even though he chose not to answer he was there. The questions were like my sons it was valid but had no answer that would help him. So I feel god is with us!!!
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Next time you ask a question with no response remember maybe the question would require an answer to big for our minds. Remember and be blessed because we believe he hears us no matter what.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
all to human today!!
Today I sit here thinking just how today seems like a total waste of time. I had no contact with anyone that I can say was of any use. I suppose not everyday can be positive. I would not say it was a negative day more of a neutral type of day. I suppose one would think it was in balance but I do not think it was.
I said yesterday that my mind was off today it felt like my spirit was just not in line. It was not like I was void of God today just in more of a neutral spot. As I think about it I wonder rather neutral with God is good or bad? There was a point that I woke up this morning and started praying I felt connected but as the day wore on I felt more of a negative slide. What is interesting is the outcome this neutral place. I was a little to sharp mouthed today with my family and for that I was and am sorry. I had more of a chip on my shoulder than I have had in a long while. I got frustrated faster with other drivers today and very little went my way as a whole.
So what is the lesson here? I really don’t know yet. I know that mentally I was frustrated and bodily I was feeling off. So seeing we have three parts and I was off on all three, balance was not there today. I think it is interesting that nothing I could do could bring me into a balanced state. Now as I am writing this I see that what I needed to do was to find a quite place and pray, just be alone and connect with the master. There was the desire there all day to do that but I just pushed it down. I don’t know why really but I did and sadly enough my family suffered from my crankiness which now I now was from not listening to the call of the Spirit to step away and let Him balance me.
2 John 1:6 “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” Even those with the best efforts fall to disobedience once in awhile and that causes us to fail to love those around us. See today I failed to love my family the way I should and normally do, I failed to love those outside the way I should have. Instead it was about me and what I was avoiding and disobedience hurt those around me.
Romans 3:22-24 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Thank you Lord for your grace to forgive my disobedience and lack of love! We are all human and many times this is way to true of me.
I said yesterday that my mind was off today it felt like my spirit was just not in line. It was not like I was void of God today just in more of a neutral spot. As I think about it I wonder rather neutral with God is good or bad? There was a point that I woke up this morning and started praying I felt connected but as the day wore on I felt more of a negative slide. What is interesting is the outcome this neutral place. I was a little to sharp mouthed today with my family and for that I was and am sorry. I had more of a chip on my shoulder than I have had in a long while. I got frustrated faster with other drivers today and very little went my way as a whole.
So what is the lesson here? I really don’t know yet. I know that mentally I was frustrated and bodily I was feeling off. So seeing we have three parts and I was off on all three, balance was not there today. I think it is interesting that nothing I could do could bring me into a balanced state. Now as I am writing this I see that what I needed to do was to find a quite place and pray, just be alone and connect with the master. There was the desire there all day to do that but I just pushed it down. I don’t know why really but I did and sadly enough my family suffered from my crankiness which now I now was from not listening to the call of the Spirit to step away and let Him balance me.
2 John 1:6 “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” Even those with the best efforts fall to disobedience once in awhile and that causes us to fail to love those around us. See today I failed to love my family the way I should and normally do, I failed to love those outside the way I should have. Instead it was about me and what I was avoiding and disobedience hurt those around me.
Romans 3:22-24 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Thank you Lord for your grace to forgive my disobedience and lack of love! We are all human and many times this is way to true of me.
Friday, June 1, 2007
mind off balance today
We are defined as body, mind and spirit. Some days we find a balance other days we have one that just throws us off. Today I was off in the mind (LOL)
Some days you find the mind part of being a human is very tiring. Today ended up being one of those days for me. It started out by getting a call from the principal of my school telling me that one of my students from last year had been arrested for murder. I have this bad habit anymore; I do not watch TV News. I find it depressing and completely biased one way or another so I gave it up a long time ago. After this call, I surfed on the net to find the details. It was there as big as life. Tom (not real name) shot and killed a man in what the police believed was “a random act of violence.” I can not say much do to confidentiality issues and my job as a public school teacher. I will however say it put life and my job into a new perspective.
You see in Fl, first degree murder is a capital offence and could if what they are saying about Tom is true and he is convicted it could put a very young man on death row. I know that God has me working in a very high stress environment with students that make vary bad choices but with this, it makes it a lot more real, of how bad of a choice they can make. I have seen kids go to jail for drugs and other crimes but normally they were short sentences meant to correct their behavior. This one could be Toms only mistake. What would happen to him in the long run, not of this life but the in the next.
Then on top of this we had to take my 9yr old son to the Dr. to find out what is causing a hard cough that he has for a long time. The Dr. acted real concerned and ordered a STAT (means) right NOW chest and sinus X-ray. This put me into a place in my mind that is very deep and dark. Some time I will write about my childhood and sickness and God’s healing grace. Lets just say when Drs sound and say things like STAT and today it puts me into a stonewall place. I lock away all emotion and do what needs to be done. This method is how I survived dealing with many Dr. visits and attempts at treatment and even the births of my own children. We all have issues and I guess this is mine! All turned out well with my son, thank God!
But when you add this to the news of my student my mind just got over loaded. The odd thing that happens to a human is when one part of us gets over loaded the other parts of us are effected as well. Today just after I found out my sons X-ray we clear and it was not serious that is when my mind over loaded. This caused my body to react with a flood of emotion. The emotions were one of super joy for my son’s health, deep sadness for my student and sorrow for the family of his victim and doubts as I wondered if I could have done more to change his path at all. I stepped outside and just the tears flow for a few minutes.
You see the thing about knowing that we consist of three parts is that when the mind and the body get overwhelmed I can turn to third part for strength. Today I had to turn to the third part. I had to just stop and pray for strength and peace. It says in Proverbs 14:30a: “A heart at peace gives life to the body” I needed that today. As I allowed the Spirit to connect to the Master I felt and equalization begin to take hold. My emotions began to settle and my mind cleared off. I know do not know how to or if I can help my student, we still have to give my son medicine but I feel a peace that can only come from God about every thing.
There is a balance in everything and that is only found in God!!!
Some days you find the mind part of being a human is very tiring. Today ended up being one of those days for me. It started out by getting a call from the principal of my school telling me that one of my students from last year had been arrested for murder. I have this bad habit anymore; I do not watch TV News. I find it depressing and completely biased one way or another so I gave it up a long time ago. After this call, I surfed on the net to find the details. It was there as big as life. Tom (not real name) shot and killed a man in what the police believed was “a random act of violence.” I can not say much do to confidentiality issues and my job as a public school teacher. I will however say it put life and my job into a new perspective.
You see in Fl, first degree murder is a capital offence and could if what they are saying about Tom is true and he is convicted it could put a very young man on death row. I know that God has me working in a very high stress environment with students that make vary bad choices but with this, it makes it a lot more real, of how bad of a choice they can make. I have seen kids go to jail for drugs and other crimes but normally they were short sentences meant to correct their behavior. This one could be Toms only mistake. What would happen to him in the long run, not of this life but the in the next.
Then on top of this we had to take my 9yr old son to the Dr. to find out what is causing a hard cough that he has for a long time. The Dr. acted real concerned and ordered a STAT (means) right NOW chest and sinus X-ray. This put me into a place in my mind that is very deep and dark. Some time I will write about my childhood and sickness and God’s healing grace. Lets just say when Drs sound and say things like STAT and today it puts me into a stonewall place. I lock away all emotion and do what needs to be done. This method is how I survived dealing with many Dr. visits and attempts at treatment and even the births of my own children. We all have issues and I guess this is mine! All turned out well with my son, thank God!
But when you add this to the news of my student my mind just got over loaded. The odd thing that happens to a human is when one part of us gets over loaded the other parts of us are effected as well. Today just after I found out my sons X-ray we clear and it was not serious that is when my mind over loaded. This caused my body to react with a flood of emotion. The emotions were one of super joy for my son’s health, deep sadness for my student and sorrow for the family of his victim and doubts as I wondered if I could have done more to change his path at all. I stepped outside and just the tears flow for a few minutes.
You see the thing about knowing that we consist of three parts is that when the mind and the body get overwhelmed I can turn to third part for strength. Today I had to turn to the third part. I had to just stop and pray for strength and peace. It says in Proverbs 14:30a: “A heart at peace gives life to the body” I needed that today. As I allowed the Spirit to connect to the Master I felt and equalization begin to take hold. My emotions began to settle and my mind cleared off. I know do not know how to or if I can help my student, we still have to give my son medicine but I feel a peace that can only come from God about every thing.
There is a balance in everything and that is only found in God!!!
thoughts 5-31-07
Interesting thing came to mind today as we sat at the beach. There was a young teen there doing some skim boarding. For those that might not be familiar with this sport let me give you an over view. It utilizes a very thin board shaped like a short fat surf board. The rider stands on the shore looking for the right wave. As the wave gets ready to brake on the shore the rider runs and tosses the board into the incoming water. Then they attempt to jump on the skimming board and ride it as far as they can before they loss the water.
I watched this young girl stand and watch the waves. She would stand a look waiting with great anticipation if the right wave to come. She had to look past the waves coming in at the moment and look for the ones coming in. When she saw the one she wanted to ride she took off at full speed throwing her board out ahead of her and then running to catch up to it and attempting to mount it for what turned out most of time to be a very short 3 to 5 seconds ride. Many times she fell off the board and ended on her bum. She then would get up and do this all over again and again.
I could not help but watch this in amazement, so much anticipation and work for such a short ride and than only if she could stand and keep her balance. It then started to dawn on me this girl was a really good example of what we do in the church world to often. Many times we sit and wait for a “movement” of God to hit the church. Then we run and throw all our efforts and momentum in to the “wave” and we get a short ride but we often fall flat or we hit the end of it very quickly. Then we have to get back up and look for the next wave to come.
I have often thought of these things or times as Christian fads. I remember a few years back there was a thing called the prayer of Jebez. This was the way to God heart, it was a revelation that if we just quoted it and understood it, it would change our LIVES. There were cups, plaques, ties, key chains and of course the book. I remember how the churches had seminars and series on it, teaching it, saying this will change the live of Gods people. Like the skim boarder it was fast and short lived.
While I am not at all saying skim boarding is a bad sport I have to admit it seems like a lot of work for little fun. I am saying that these Christian fads need to be avoided with all cost in my mind. We need to see that God power is not short lived nor is it something the church needs to ride and put everything into only to some to an end and find ourselves standing by anticipating and waiting for another GOD wave.
I believe that there are a lot of people in this time that are looking for a steady spirituality. They are not looking for a quick power show than nothing until the next wave. The younger generations and many of the older ones are looking for connection to a God of consistency. I understand this because my heart cry’s out to see God move on a consistent base.
I think it comes down to how we approach God. Do we look at him like an ocean wave that builds up than crashes in and we have to be in the right place at the right time to experience God in a deep real way? Or do we see him as the whole ocean. The waves and movements never stop in the ocean some waves are bigger than other but they are always there. The power that God has for us to walk in and experience is consistent. He longs for us to be connected to him allowing us to be in his power and love consistently.
Let’s look carefully as we move though life and when we see God moving in this way and in that way let us be sure that we see it as a part of God’s over all power and his over all plan and not just a short lived experience.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
I watched this young girl stand and watch the waves. She would stand a look waiting with great anticipation if the right wave to come. She had to look past the waves coming in at the moment and look for the ones coming in. When she saw the one she wanted to ride she took off at full speed throwing her board out ahead of her and then running to catch up to it and attempting to mount it for what turned out most of time to be a very short 3 to 5 seconds ride. Many times she fell off the board and ended on her bum. She then would get up and do this all over again and again.
I could not help but watch this in amazement, so much anticipation and work for such a short ride and than only if she could stand and keep her balance. It then started to dawn on me this girl was a really good example of what we do in the church world to often. Many times we sit and wait for a “movement” of God to hit the church. Then we run and throw all our efforts and momentum in to the “wave” and we get a short ride but we often fall flat or we hit the end of it very quickly. Then we have to get back up and look for the next wave to come.
I have often thought of these things or times as Christian fads. I remember a few years back there was a thing called the prayer of Jebez. This was the way to God heart, it was a revelation that if we just quoted it and understood it, it would change our LIVES. There were cups, plaques, ties, key chains and of course the book. I remember how the churches had seminars and series on it, teaching it, saying this will change the live of Gods people. Like the skim boarder it was fast and short lived.
While I am not at all saying skim boarding is a bad sport I have to admit it seems like a lot of work for little fun. I am saying that these Christian fads need to be avoided with all cost in my mind. We need to see that God power is not short lived nor is it something the church needs to ride and put everything into only to some to an end and find ourselves standing by anticipating and waiting for another GOD wave.
I believe that there are a lot of people in this time that are looking for a steady spirituality. They are not looking for a quick power show than nothing until the next wave. The younger generations and many of the older ones are looking for connection to a God of consistency. I understand this because my heart cry’s out to see God move on a consistent base.
I think it comes down to how we approach God. Do we look at him like an ocean wave that builds up than crashes in and we have to be in the right place at the right time to experience God in a deep real way? Or do we see him as the whole ocean. The waves and movements never stop in the ocean some waves are bigger than other but they are always there. The power that God has for us to walk in and experience is consistent. He longs for us to be connected to him allowing us to be in his power and love consistently.
Let’s look carefully as we move though life and when we see God moving in this way and in that way let us be sure that we see it as a part of God’s over all power and his over all plan and not just a short lived experience.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
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