Be quiet - - - very, very quiet...and hear

What or who do you listen to because you feel you "have to"? For some of us, it is our parents - we listen because we know we are to respect them and to listen to their wisdom. For others of us, it is our supervisors - because they are the ones who guide our days and provide that paycheck at the end of the week. For still others, we listen to no one and nothing, other than our own minds and hearts. How's that one been working out for you? I know it didn't work out for me! My heart and mind doesn't always know what it wants - it can be rather indecisive and vacillate with the ups and downs of what is going on around me. It isn't worth listening to sin tell us what to do - and it isn't worth thinking our own mind will actually always know how we are to respond. We need to be aware of the presence of God in our lives, learning to listen to him FIRST and foremost. Only then will we experience all the glory of the goodness he has prepared for us!

But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. (Romans 6:23 MSG)

All manner of sin will attempt to tell us what to do - from the voice of a well-meaning 'friend' misguiding us by some 'advice' they have for us, to the outright listening to the appeals of our own fleshly lusts and desires. We don't have to listen to either of them - we can turn a deaf ear to them, politely dismiss them, and move on. We don't have to 'do as we are told' when it comes to listening to sin's voice any longer - because we have discovered what it means to really listen to God's voice. There are times when people ask me how they know they are hearing God's voice in their lives. I'd have to say this - is what you are being told consistent with what scripture reveals about God and his ways? Is what you are being asked to do in alignment with the principles of grace and truth? If not, it isn't God's voice! It is either clearly some other voice, or a mixture of a good message combined with a not so wholesome one!

If we want a 'put together' life - one that is whole and consistent, we need to learn to listen for that consistency in what we are hearing. The consistency of alignment with the principles of grace and truth we find revealed in the Word of God. Some ask what to do when they cannot find a specific example of what they need an answer to in their lives within the explored scriptures. I'd have to say it is then a matter of conscience. God actually gave us that little tool to help us when we don't have any other 'judgment' factor that seems to address the issue. If there is any 'niggling' to do or say something that is against your conscience, it is wrong for you! It isn't the voice you want to follow. Our conscience doesn't 'override' scripture, but it can help us when we don't clearly find the specific issue addressed within scripture.

The good news is that we have a good God tell us how to live. We don't have to be confused about all the other voices in our lives - for his is the clearest, simplest, and quietest! It is quiet because it operates in an atmosphere of peace. Jesus spoke to the brewing storms to be still - only then did the disciples know it was him and receive from him that day. He spoke to the disease that created havoc in lives to be gone - only then did the disease-riddled soul hear the truth in his voice. There are times when Jesus needs us to shut out all the other voices - even when they 'storm' around us. Only then will we truly hear and understand his purposes. Just sayin!

Do you clam up?

How good of a test-taker are you? I have met individuals who really struggle with this one because as soon as they get that exam in front of them they kind of 'clam up' and shut down. They just cannot focus and their efforts toward studying / preparing for the exam all go out the window. They are frozen in time. They have an anxiety moment that initiates the 'shut-down' and then they cannot seem to 'reboot' to get back on track. The testing challenges of life can sometimes put us into a mode where we find it hard to 'reboot' and get back on track again, right? There are just some challenges we don't imagine we will ever make it through, but let me assure you of this - you are prepared more than you will ever know!

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12 MSG)

Let's face it - testing is hard - even a bit of an insurmountable challenge at times. We might think we are prepared, but in just a short amount of time we find out just how 'unprepared' we were mentally and/or spiritually. We did all the 'book-work' ahead of time, studying scripture and thinking we know exactly how to counter every attack about to come our way, but alas - - - something comes up we didn't count on. There we are floundering and finding we just don't have all the answers. At that moment we can choose to just 'shut-down' and be 'frozen in time' by the challenge, or we can take it to the altar and get God's perspective on it!

When we are loyally in love with Jesus, we find it a whole lot easier to bring those challenges to him and get his perspective. When our loyalties aren't so well-established, what scripture refers to as being double-minded, we find we kind of get pounded by the challenge and then we just 'clam up' because it overwhelms us. We don't possess all the wisdom, nor all the power to overcome those challenges alone. We aren't made to face them alone. We ARE supposed to prepare. We ARE supposed to do what we know to do. We AREN'T expected to know it all, nor are we supposed to do it all in our own effort. There are just some challenges that are met head on by the wisdom and power we get ONLY by being loyally in love with Jesus (with him clearly in control of our lives).

The 'head-on' moment comes more frequently than we'd like, but when you are about to enter into that challenge it isn't like a game of 'chicken'. It is more like a gladiator in the ring! We find we have power far above our own power, wisdom exceeding our ability to have studied and prepared. Why? Jesus is there with us and he is fully in control of the challenge's outcome - not us, not the devil, not the world system. Live life loyally in love with Jesus and see just how differently you can face those challenges. You might just realize your days of 'clamming up' come to an immediate end! Just sayin!

What's that filter for?

I am going to issue a challenge this morning - just a little one to ask each of us to consider something we may not have really considered before. How would others describe you? Who would they say you are? Would they describe you by your title, such as a great pastor, a good teacher, a talented musician? Would they describe you as the one who is aloof, too sensitive, or kind of timid? Would they say you were the one always bragging about your greatest accomplishments? There are lots of ways to describe someone, aren't there? Yet, the toughest thing to ask someone is to be genuine about who they really think we are! It might not be as comfortable as we'd like to think!

When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:13-15 MSG)

How others see you is important. Who they see you as in "reality" is very revealing - maybe a little too revealing! Quite some time ago, I realized I was putting up a good front in life - always showing others what I was comfortable allowing them to see about me. I never wanted them to know the 'real me', maybe because I wasn't very proud of some of the things I struggled with, such as my temper, my fears, or my insecurities. Many times we want the closeness of a 'real relationship', but we don't know how to get to the point of actually allowing others to see us. Maybe we really need to take a lesson from Jesus here - people will see us through various filters - because they somehow apply those filters to help there own true selves from being seen by others!

Jesus ask who others say he is and he receives a variety of answers, doesn't he? Some see him as the one prophesied about so long ago - the one who would 'precede' the coming deliverer of their nation. Others see him as a great prophet, while others see him as a religious zealot kind of bent on dividing a nation. It is amazing that all these people could see the exact same life lived out in front of them and then come to such different conclusions about who he is. They witnessed his miracles and some said he was a prophet, while others said he was of the devil. They saw his humble beginnings, born the son of a carpenter, and viewed him as unable to truly understand or teach scripture, yet he was 'spot on' each time he shared any of the Old Testament truths with them.

Others see us through filters - the filters that help them, not necessarily us. Filters are meant to block something out. We use a filter in our coffee pots because none of us likes to chew our coffee! We use filters in our air and heating units so dust is captured and not recirculated through the air. We use a filter in our dryers because lint isn't becoming on our clothing. Filters remove something that is definitely there, but we don't necessarily want to deal with. We don't want the grinds in our coffee, nor the dust or pollen in our air. We don't want these things - so we create filters to block them from 'getting at us'. In reality, whenever we 'filter' our lives, we are just saying we are trying to keep others from dealing with the unpleasant stuff in us that really is there, but we aren't comfortable having anyone else deal with it other than us!

Since we apply filters in our own lives, we often 'apply' those filters in the lives of others, seeing them as we have 'filtered' them to be. This may not really help us in the long run because it could just be the things that are filtered out are really the things we need others to help us deal with and remove for good! Jesus didn't apply filters - he lived openly and he saw others in the same way he lived his life. Maybe it is time for us to do the same. Just sayin!

Is this really creme brulee?

The believer comes to a place of revelation and deep introspective consideration from time to time - pondering the greatness of the gift they have received in their redemption from sin. The realization of just how selfish one had become before Christ bestowed such magnificent grace on their life can bring a person to their knees in grateful adoration. The truth be told, many of us need those 'knee bending' moments because they are what help us realize just how much God has done for us in the gift of grace. Most of us want more than just a 'basic salvation package' from God, though. We want the initial forgiveness of our sins, but we also want the ongoing forgiveness we will need because we 'keep on' sinning. We also want to be embraced in God's goodness from day to day, with a fresh revelation of who he is, what he is doing in our lives, and how much more he has prepared for us. We don't want to miss out on any of the blessings he has prepared for us. We occasionally forget there are 'efforts' on our part that are prerequisite to experiencing this incremental growth - 'efforts' that we might find hard from time to time, but are still expected if we are to grow 'into' the grace we have been extended.

Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character. But ...you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do. Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply. The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:2-8 TLB)

We all want more - this is a given. Don't believe this to be true? Think about your last Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter dinner. Even on days when we can fill our bellies to the brim, leaving the table almost 'miserable' because of the massive feast we have enjoyed, we are still thinking of the turkey sandwich we will indulge in within just an hour or two after leaving the table! We are filled to the brim as we leave the table, but we are imagining just one more delicacy. It is kind of like that with God's grace - we know we are filled to the brim, but we leave each and every encounter with Jesus feeling satisfied, but with just a hint of a craving for more! With each new 'feast' we enjoy in his presence, there comes a desire to experience more of what he offers at his banquet table.

All of us desire to be fruitful and useful. We want the best in our lives. Most of the time, we rise in the morning with positive intent - we desire to do well that day. We don't really want to compromise ourselves, selling ourselves out to sin's pull, but we also live in a world filled with all manner of things that can entice us at every turn. We know the real and consistent struggle of living where there is ample temptation. We want all those wonderful blessings God has prepared for us, but we forget there is a whole lot of work to realizing those blessings in our lives. The work? It is really in the consistency of obedience we maintain daily. There is a direct correlation between our enjoyment of God's blessings and our obedience. It isn't that God is stingy with his blessings, he just knows we will enjoy them so much more when we aren't trying to fill up on 'cheap substitutes'. 

I went to a restaurant just before Christmas with a couple of friends. I enjoyed a nice meal with them, but as we were about to pay the bill, the waitress asked if she could bring us a dessert specially prepared for us by the chef. It was complimentary - something new he was trying out to see if he'd add it to the menu. Now, if you are like me, although you are trying to be 'good' in watching what you eat, when a waitress offers you FREE creme brulee, you don't pass it up! After all, three spoons in one tiny dessert cannot put that many extra calories in one's belly, right? When you expect creme brulee, complete with that nice crispy layer of 'fired' sugar on the top, but are delivered a dish with kernels of corn in it, what do you think? You might think you have been scammed! This isn't creme brulee! This is a cheap substitute, where someone has taken liberties to 'change things up', and it isn't the same!

Yes, it was 'tasty', but it wasn't 'as advertised'. God's blessings are always 'as advertised'. His desires for us are always 'as advertised'. There are no cheap substitutes in his house! If we are offered any cheap substitute for his grace, we need to run from it pretty doggone quickly! It might 'taste good', but it isn't the same as his goodness and grace. We focus on the 'taste', but God focuses on the 'integrity' of what goes into what it is that we get a taste of in life! Just sayin!

Grace Guides

"Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself?" Thomas a Kempis

There can be some pretty tough fights we go through in our lifetime, but I think this clergyman of an era gone by hit the nail square on the head! There is no harder fight hand the one we fight with ourselves - especially when there is some 'flaw' we see within ourselves we feel must be overcome. The more we strive to overcome it, the harder the battle gets, and the worse we feel when we find ourselves not 'doing well' in the fight. We are invited to live life to the fullest - in Christ Jesus. Attempting to find a 'full life' outside of that relationship is impossible and can yield some of the toughest fights we will ever have to fight in our lifetime. Our sins are dealt with once and for all. The freedom to live the right way and the desire to live as we should are both provided at the foot of the cross.

This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. (I Peter 2:21-25)

Peter began this chapter with the reminder to make a clean sweep of some of the most basic of sins such as envy and hurtful talk. The simplest of things some might assume, but the hardest to actually live out in our daily choices. Learn to live without needing to boast of one accomplishments, or put another down with words that cut deep and you have learned a great lesson. Live life like this all the time and you are living a life free! There are lots and lots of things we need to be 'free of' that are revealed in our daily choices. Things we might not realize we need to let go of, or that need to let go of us! As God points even one iota of those things out to us, we need to carry them to the foot of the cross and leave them there. It is only as we do that we are ever going to be truly free.

I am always grateful that God doesn't just 'tell us' to live right and make right choices. He gives us the step-by-step instructions, illustrations through lives both well-lived and those lived without restraint. We don't have to flounder or wonder. We can see plainly in his Word, in the lives of those he puts up before us as both positive and not so very positive examples of how we are to live. These are 'grace guides' to help us through this journey of letting go of what needs to be left at the cross and then lay hold of that which will become the way of obedience.

Where are your areas of greatest struggle today? Are they in the area of your attitude or words? Are they in the realm of your lusts and desires? Are they perhaps in the choices once made, repeated, and now formed into solidly bad habits? It matters not where the struggle is, the same means of freedom exists for all of them! The cross provides the means of deliverance - the repeated direction of our "grace guides" helps us live free each day. These are not mystical 'guides' from the netherworld, but rather the truth of the Word of God, the examples of grace given to us in lives clearly touched by his presence, and the reminders of his Spirit deep within to truly 'live free'. 

We don't have to fight with futility. Our battles have all been declared as 'won' in Christ Jesus. We just sometimes need to 'dispossess' our enemy from the land! We might just never feel totally free until the 'enemy within' is totally and completely sent packing! Where is it that this battle is won? At the foot of the cross and no other place! You don't have to be 'spiritual' - you just have to be real in God's presence. You don't have to be 'perfect' - you just have to be transparent. You don't have to know what it is you are battling - you just have to be willing to listen to your Commander in Chief. Just sayin!

This or That?

By now you know that I am rarely content with the 'mundane'. I find 'commonplace' to be a little less than challenging for me. I need to always be learning, finding satisfaction in even discovering one little solution to a problem, or realizing where a phrase came into origin. There is something good about not settling for the mundane, but for some this is a very frightening matter. The ordinary is where they are most content and there is little desire to go beyond it. Why? It is 'safe' and it requires very little to 'maintain' that 'safe place'. Get into areas outside of the 'ordinary' of life and the demands increase - for our time, effort, and even our talent!

Jesus said, "You're tied down to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I'm living on other terms." (John 8:23)

Jesus is answering the accusations of the religious leaders - they are all hung up in the fact that he was from Galilee and that he could not possibly be of the line of David, so he could not be the Messiah. They could not see the evidence of his divinity because they were so focused on the details of his lineage. It is kind of like not seeing the trees for the forest. To their accusations that he could neither be prophet or Messiah, he rebukes them with these words. In his answer, he reveals much about being bound by the mundane - tied down by it. It was like an anchor around their foot, holding them to one thing and not allowing them to see the bigger picture. This is what the focus on the 'ordinary' will do to us - it will tie us down and keep us from seeing the bigger picture in life. As long as you are living in terms of those things that you can see or touch - the natural - you will never develop an interest in what it outside of the 'natural'. We will live in a mindset set up to totally miss the supernatural in all Jesus said and did and still does!

Jesus reminds each of that his focus is not the here and now. He has a bigger purpose in coming into this world - it was for the purpose of our individual redemption. What is beyond your horizons? It could be that we are so focused on what we see in the here and now that we are missing the bigger picture just beyond that horizon. Just as Jesus was reminding them that he does nothing that his father does not first direct him to do, he wants us to realize he is still working in our lives today - though he isn't here in the 'flesh', he is still here in all his power and might. He is all about fulfilling the wishes of his father - accomplishing the work of salvation so that we can move from the mundane and the natural.

The goal of Jesus is to point us toward the connection with his father that he enjoys. His hopes are that in making that connection, we'd move beyond the mundane in our lives. In simple terms, the mundane is that which is of this earth. When he challenges us to look beyond the mundane, he is challenging us to look toward the heavenly, the spiritual. The mundane is both common and ordinary. The simple change in focus from what can be seen and touched brings us to a place of experiencing the uncommon and the extraordinary. We choose the "terms" by which we live. We either remain earth-bound in our focus, or heaven-bound in our living. The choice to not trust in what is natural - easy to interpret and experience through the senses - is what affords a shift from the mundane to the extraordinary. Jesus is in connection with the one who chooses to operate in the realm of extraordinary - in the realm of possibility. By being 'connected' to him, we are also able to live in the realm of the extraordinary!

Sometimes, I make choices to settle for the mundane - in those choices, I often find myself thoroughly disappointed by what the natural and the ordinary have to offer. The mundane may be the easiest - the quickest and the most readily available - but it is seldom the most rewarding. We need to see the importance of the choices we make. The truth is that we determine the outcome of the choices in the very moment we make the choice! Just sayin!

This moment in time....

Oh, how sweet the light of day, and how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour... (Ecclesiastes 11:7-8)

How many light-filled hours have you been given on this earth? How many will you use to the fullest? It is just about time for the sun to creep slowly over the horizon and bring the light of a new day here. For those of us that live in Arizona, we don't celebrate the sun as much as we celebrate those infrequent breaks we get from the sun! A few clouds are a welcome thing once in a while around here - a relief from the scorching of the sun is accomplished in those passing shadows above. I imagine that those facing day after day of tornadoes, cloud cover, and incessant rain that produces flooding would love nothing more than to say, "Here comes the sun!" It is all about perspective - whatever we live with for a while becomes something we often take for granted in pretty short order.

This is as true in relationships as it is about the very fact that we wake each morning and go about our days involved in what we call the routine matters of life. Most of us don't wake up each morning with a conscious awareness that we have been "granted" another day of life, much less how much we have been given in the relationships we are blessed to have! Yet, a mother riddled with breast cancer, or a father weighed down by the crippling effects of Lou Gehrig's Disease whose lives are about to be cut short by the effects of their diseases, may see each new day or relationship they have been given in a totally different manner. Their delight with one more day to enjoy their family and friends may be foremost - bringing them great and immediate cause for celebration.

We need to be reminded that each day of sunshine is a blessing! Don't take one single day for granted. How do we develop this kind of awareness that God has given one more day for our use, our enjoyment? I think it is a conscious decision each and every day until it becomes an unconscious decision each and every day! We might have to "practice" our recognition of God in our day many times before it becomes "second-nature" to us to immediately recognize his graces in the moments we have been granted and those moments yet to come.

I have my clock radio set to the local Christian radio station. I know this seems like a small thing and a little too "religious" for some of you, but hear me out. The first thing I hear when I rise in the morning is beautiful melodies of praise - turning my heart to the worship of the very one who has granted me this day to enjoy. Now, this isn't the answer for everyone, but it works for me - it centers my thoughts, if even for a few moments, onto Jesus. I often even get little tidbits of truth spoken to me in the simplicity of a line from a song. There is no end to what God will use to convey his message of hope, his assurance of peace, or his challenge of obedience in our lives - we need to be open to the tools he uses.

Things all too quickly change - if we don't take advantage of the moments we have been given, we will always be looking back bemoaning the lost opportunities - especially those within relationship with each other and with God himself! It is too late to regain what "could have been" once the moment is lost. If we learn to live for the moment, conscious of God in each moment, we will have less regrets and more cause for praise! Just sayin!

True to your word....

There aren't too many of us who can honestly report we are 'true to our word' all the time. We might intend to live with integrity and not make empty promises, but truth be told, we all struggle with saying things we will eventually forget or not find significant enough to focus our energies on any longer. The commitment may have been made, but that promise kind of takes the backseat when something more 'urgent' comes along. It is a good thing God doesn't get distracted by the 'urgent' and forget his promises toward us! His word is true and consistent - not moved by the distractions of life. One of the most significant ways he keeps his word is when he gives us space to just breathe a little in life. Space to catch our breath comes in many forms, even when we find the going is tough and the way seems to be riddled with all manner of things trying to get us down or off course.

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. (Psalm 23:1-3 MSG)

God's delight is to lead us straight into those places where we can 'bed down' and recover. We all need 'recovery time' in life. Not all of life is going to go as we had planned, nor as we would even imagine. Sometimes life will send us a curve ball and we will not see it coming. We cannot plan for all the inevitabilities in life. The moment we think we can, that is the moment we most need to come away and just enter into that place of rest and 're-centering' - because we have lost sight of who is actually to be in control of our lives! God gives us time to catch our breath, not to hinder our progress in life, but to ensure we have what we will need in order to continue to make progress. 

Want to be in a place where you honestly find yourself saying you don't need a thing? What a place that would be, huh? To be in a place of contentment so deep that you cannot even think of one more thing you need! That place is in his presence. When we finally stop long enough, get quiet enough, and just begin to enter into that rest he has prepared for us, we find ourselves not looking at what we can gain, gather, create, etc. We find ourselves just easing into the enjoyment of being enveloped by his presence and love. We find the waves of grace bring renewal - the strokes of love's gentle hand begin to heal us.

Not all is known, but somehow it doesn't matter when we enter into that place of rest he has prepared. We stop 'mulling' those thoughts that have haunted us and we just turn our eyes fully into his. There we find his heart ministering to the complexity of anguish our minds manage to create. The Lord's wisdom becomes known and we walk away with our anguish lifted. Truly there is no other place where we can find rest for our bodies, renewal for our spirits, and regeneration of our minds. Why resist such a place - why resist his love? Never forget this - God is true to his Word. He will give us time to catch our breath, but we need to enter into that place he has prepared for that rest! Just sayin!

Dress appropriately for the day

Living in Arizona doesn't require the need for much of a "winter" wardrobe. I have an all-purpose windbreaker I can wear in rain or cooler weather. I don't invest in jackets or coats because the days of needing one are so very few, the coat would just take up space in my closet. I prefer the all-purpose version of something most of the time. I buy an all-purpose cleaner when doing the bathrooms - so I don't have to have a whole caddy of cleaners to do that job. I use the same surface cleaner to do the kitchen counters that I use to clean the stove top and the appliance surfaces. Why? It works! There are just times when the "all-purpose" is not only 'good enough', it is the best! No wonder God declares love the "all-purpose garment" we are to put on each day - it truly is the BEST!

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. (Colossians 3:12 MSG)

We are given a full "wardrobe" to choose from - not that we'd put on one without the other - but that each 'piece' of that wardrobe would serve a unique purpose in our lives. Yet, we are given that ONE all-purpose 'garment' we are to adorn ourselves with each and everyday. It is kind of like that one thing we'd never leave home without putting on. We are to put on compassion, but have you ever tried being compassionate toward anyone without realizing love is at the core of that action? We are to put on kindness, but go out there and try being kind to someone who is being a little bit of a pain in the neck and see if it is possible without the underlying garment of love. It isn't! At best, we will 'fake' a little kindness, but it won't really be genuine!

Now, there are some garments we wear that have a specific purpose - no other garment will do the same job as those garments. Think of the raincoat - it repels water, so we wear it when we need to keep our other garments dry. The shoes we wear are really to protect our feet from the hazards we can encounter on the way from here to there. Not every pair of shoes requires a pair of socks with them (that may come as a surprise to those who wear socks with sandals!) - but socks serve a purpose when worn in cold weather with our snow boots. Love is the one garment that serves the purpose of an 'all-around' covering. It does more than surround our feet, or keep us dry on rainy days. It serves to envelop us in something that not only brings us benefit, but benefits others who are 'touched' by that garment!

We may want to 'dress quickly' some mornings, running short on time, in a hurry to get at whatever the day holds. There is no short-cut to dressing well, though! We need to always find time to adorn ourselves with the garment of love, for no other garment will help us in the various encounters we will have that day, or keep us on an even keel when challenges begin to mount up. Notice all the other garments - they are 'founded' upon the garment of love. Don't let a day begin without adorning yourself with that all-purpose garment! You won't regret the time it takes to 'dress appropriately' for the day! Just sayin!

But...it is shameful

A great many of us would admit that there are "chapters" or "portions" of our lives that we'd like no one to actually remember or know about at all. We have some failures we'd rather no one really knew about, dreams that seem kind of silly when pondered by anyone other than us, and problems with memories that we just cannot seem to let loose of no matter how hard we try. These "pages" or "portions" of our lives are worked into our lives as 'indelible ink' is worked into paper. It is through the passage of time and the events of the days gone by that they form into 'permanent' parts of our lives. Most people don't have the guts to invite God to investigate their life - to read those "hidden chapters" like they were an open book. Most don't want God to get second-hand knowledge of their actions, attitudes, or attributes - we'd rather rest in the assurance that he gets this information about us 'first-hand', because we know he can be trusted to 'know' this stuff about us and still love us!

God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too—your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful—I can't take it all in! (Psalm 139:1-6)

Learning to live life as an open book is pretty scary - especially when we are living this way before others, not just God. As long as the less desirable "chapters" of our lives can be "edited out", we are okay with letting others "read us" - to know the 'details' of our lives that seem to us to be kind of shameful or distasteful. We'd like the "editing" rights to our lives - but that is not our job - we don't get to control what others observe about us. At best, we are second-rate writers - so how do we expect to be first-rate editors? There is only one editor that will do the job right the first time - that is Jesus Christ. He knows exactly what needs to be seen in our lives and what others need not ever know about us, but to live life as an open book before him means we are willing to allow him to open up those chapters for others to learn from, as well.

Why is it that we resist the "editing" work of Christ in our lives? It could be we have some element of shame attached to those hidden things - having done things we are not at all proud of now. It could be that we have secret aspirations that we have held for years, all the while too fearful to share them because we have listened to the lies of others telling us that we will never amount to much and could never see them fulfilled, no matter how hard we try. Or still, it could be that we just don't think we've done well in the "writing" of our lives and we don't believe there is much contained in the "chapters" that anyone would benefit from "reading". Here's the honest truth - your life is filled with things that bring you shame, but Christ has the ability and desire to edit those shameful events and memories so the shame is no longer there. Your life's dreams matter and Christ desires to make dreams a reality. Your life may not be monumental in the eyes of others, but in his sight, it is magnificent. Learning to live life as an open book is indeed difficult, but it is equally as rewarding. Isn't it time to allow the "editing" work of the hand of Christ in your life so that what has been 'worked in' and 'worked out' in your life can be of benefit to others, as well? Just askin!

But...who is to blame?

A man born blind - what resulted in his blindness? In the ninth chapter of John we find the story of a man born blind - forced to spend each day begging for something to fill his belly - something to provide for his welfare. The day he met Jesus was a day just like all the rest - yet it was soon to be unlike all the rest. He was in his usual spot for begging - awaiting a passerby with a tender heart who might put a mite or two in his cup. This day, as Jesus was passing by, his disciples pose a question to Jesus about the man's blindness. Their question centered on who had sinned - the man himself, or his parents. You see, we often see the 'disease' in another and wonder who is to blame for the 'disease' rather than to recognize the heart and soul buried deep within that disease. We see the outward and question why - Jesus sees the inward and provides answers that go much deeper!

Jesus then said, "I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind." (John 9:39)

They were doing what so many did in their day - equating his blindness to some sin condition. A physical ailment in those times was often equated with sin. It was either the sin of his parents, or his own personal sin, that they were asking about - focusing on the thing they thought answered the 'why' behind the blindness, but not even seeing the man deep insight those sightless eyes. Jesus' response was quite revealing - he told them that they were looking for the person to blame. So often, we look at ailments, diseases, less than desirable conditions and all we want to do is find someone to blame - usually not ourselves, but another. We want to place blame while Jesus is all about showing what God can do in a person's life. He tells his disciples not to focus on the "fault" or the "why" for the man's condition, but rather on what God can and will do with a yielded life.

The truth of the matter is that there are those who proclaim to have all the truth, while others simply know they don't. Some claim to "see", while others clearly know they cannot. What amazes me about Jesus is that he always uses the weak to confound the strong, the lame to counter the upright and haughty, the timid to undo the boastfulness of the bold. The blind man didn't even know who was standing before him that day. When he is encountered by Jesus, he is totally blind to the deliverer at his feet. He cannot give testimony to "who" or "what" made him blind. He cannot really say he "saw" his deliverer and reached out for his help. He just knew his 'condition' and he was 'looking' in the only way he knew how to 'look' for his help - with outstretched hands, seeking heart, and hopeful anticipation.

There are times in our lives when our blindness is what everyone sees. We "get by" in our condition of blindness, but we don't really flourish. We are stuck in the rut of simply looking for enough to get by for that moment or that day - reaching out, but not for the 'permanent' fix, just the immediate one. We don't really hope for deliverance from our blindness - we just live with it. We can be blind to our faults, our fears, and our failures. In our condition of blindness, we can do nothing more than "feel our way through life". Jesus wants more for us than just "feeling our way through life". He wants us to experience it fully - the way God intended for us to experience it from the beginning. The man's eyes were opened - causing him to announce with a certainty - "I don't know who this man is...but I do know this....Once I was blind....now I see!" That day opened up more than this man's eyes. He no longer had to return to the place of begging. He was free to come and go as he desired - no longer bound to going only to the places he knew so well - now his life was opened to the possibilities of experiencing new things.

That is what it is like to be delivered from our blindness - to stop focusing on who is to blame and to just reach out with anticipation and eagerness. When we stop trying to look for someone to blame for our condition, we are one step closer to being able to see what we could not see before. When we are open to the newness of experience that comes with our deliverance, we can see that the "truth" we thought we once knew is now enlarged by our fresh vision - we see clearly for the first time what had always been there, but we just never saw. There is great deliverance at your feet - will you trust Jesus to touch you? Will you seek to see rather than to just know why it is you cannot see? Just askin!

Out of THIS you will bring WHAT?

Times come when we might just feel like things are spinning a little out of control - or at least out of our control. Those times can be disconcerting and might just send us into a tailspin if we don't maintain the right focus. There are always moments in each day when I cry out a short prayer to Jesus just because things seem to be creeping in that are capable of disturbing the control which has been maintained - because I don't want that control to go to anyone else other than him!

Every morning you'll hear me at it again. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. (Psalm 5:2-3)

Some days just seek like chaos is created wherever we go. Yet, if we look closely, the very thing that is the same in each of those situations is US. Where we are, there is chaos. True that it may be that God brings good stuff out of chaos, we don't want to be the thing creating that chaos. Some of us feel like all that God is up to in and around us is chaos. King David was no exception. He frequently conversed with God about the "stuff" that just seemed to surround him with all kinds of challenge, busy-work, and unknown outcomes. Every morning you'll hear me at it again! These words reflect his response to the mounting chaos around him.

I honestly believe we might think God gets tired hearing about our lives. After all, how many times does he need to hear that we are frustrated with our pain, or disappointed with the loss of our youthfulness? How many times does he need to listen to the "stories" of our waywardness? How often has he heard the same story of repentance, only to hear us at it again in a short matter of time? The "chaos" just seems to keep coming - and we just seem to keep bringing it before God. Why? Because we can!

Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. Remember we are to come EVERY morning to God. There is to be no fear in our heart that God will get tired of hearing from us or be put off by the continual struggles we have! Lay it all out before God...holding nothing back. That is how a sacrifice was prepared in Old Testament times - it was laid out for all the pieces to be seen. Sometimes, we'd like to hold a little back, but it is in laying it all out that it is available for God to affect.

If that doesn't paint the picture, we need to see that it is in the laying of the pieces on the altar that that we express our hope for the changes we desire to occur. Why is this important? Simply because the altar is the ONLY place we can actually be altered! It is the laying out of our lives that God is able to affect change - to bring order out of what looks like nothing more than chaos! Do it and then wait watchfully for God's fire to descend. This is the hardest part of bringing it to God - waiting watchfully for his move! Nothing is more of a struggle for us than waiting. In the waiting, we want nothing more than to retrieve a few pieces off the altar and tuck them carefully away for "another time". The sacrifice is only consumed if it is whole!

So, if life seems a little like CHAOS right now...don't lose hope! It probably is! In that CHAOS God is at work bringing something beautiful out of it. CHAOS is really Christ Having Authority Over Sin in our lives. CHAOS is really Christ Honoring Abandoned Obedient Service. CHAOS is Christ Healing And Opening Spirits. CHAOS is simply God at work! Embrace it! It has a purpose far greater than you'd ever imagine! Just sayin!

A full wardrobe

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. (2 Peter 1:4 MSG)

I have heard Christians say they don't have what it takes to live a righteous life. They bemoan the issues they still have with temptation and then when compromise inevitably hits them full in the face, they seem to say, "I told you so!" It is as though they forget these words of truth - EVERYTHING that goes into a life of pleasing God HAS BEEN given to us. There is NOTHING we haven't been given already. Maybe we just haven't PUT ON what it is we are already provided!

To illustrate this point, consider your closet or chest of drawers for a moment. How many shirts do you have in the closet? Just a ball park number will do - you don't really have to go count them. Then consider how many pair of socks you have in your drawer. How many pairs of pants are in your closet? Are some blue, others black, and maybe some even brown? You have a variety of stuff to wear don't you? Yet, how many mornings do you stand in front of those clothes and mentally declare you don't have anything to wear?

It isn't the lack of clothing that is the issue, it is the desire to put on what you have at your disposal! You have lots of clothes - you choose to see 'no choice' within the closet. You don't have a lack of anything - everything you need is right there in front of you. You are just choosing not to wear any of it! Everything we need to live godly and upright lives is right there in front of us - we choose to not put it on and then complain we don't have what we need!

The majority of us will choose an outfit from the closet for the day - not too many of us choose to just walk around naked! We might go to some particular pair of pants, socks, and shirt more than others - because they are comfortable for us and we are familiar with how they fit, make us feel, and how others see us in them. Similarly, we are content to go to certain things Christ has provided for our walk with him very frequently, but there are others we shy away from because we don't know how they will 'fit' our lives, or how others will see us 'within' them.

Sometimes the outfit I feel the least comfortable wearing is the one I get the most compliments on! The level of comfort we have 'wearing' what God gives us isn't always the determining factor of how well it 'fits' us. It could just be that thing God has been asking you to 'put on' in your life is the very thing that will bring out some element of grace and beauty that has been hidden until you do! Just sayin!

Truth confirmed

There have been moments when I find what someone is telling me hard to believe. In those moments, it is not uncommon for the individual to tell me to "see for myself" when I am having trouble accepting what they are saying. Usually, in the 'looking', I find they aren't far from the truth, and even that they may be totally 'spot on' with what they are telling me! The looking was a moment of confirmation, not really of discovery, for what I discovered had already been revealed to me. I just needed a little confirmation to totally accept the truth.

"Come along and see for yourself." (John 1:39)

The inner circle of Jesus' closest disciples - the twelve who would become the those to follow in his footsteps, learn of his teachings, and be support in his times of trial. In looking at the call to become a disciple, they heard the words, "Come along and see for yourself." Jesus was not in the business of convincing men to follow him - leaving all they had to follow along in his ministry. Instead, he asked for them to decide for themselves what it was that he proclaimed as truth by what they had already seen and heard of his works and character.

Consider first that discipleship requires us turning our attention from what it is we are doing at the moment towards Jesus. These fishermen, tax collectors, and tradesmen had to specifically turn from what they were doing to follow Jesus. This was no easy matter for them - their entire livelihood was affected by this one matter of redirecting their attention. The same is true for us today. We turn from what we have been involved in toward a newness of life, mission, and purpose. We are confirming there is something worth following when we turn toward him and focus our attention on him. It is more than smoke and mirrors - there is a confirmation in our spirit of the reality of his love, power, and plan.

Discipleship requires following - a willingness to actually investigate and confirm what it is we believe. Sometimes, we think of those that are "followers" in a negative manner - seeing them as weak, unable to make their own decisions, and not able to really step up to lead. In Jesus' eyes, the one who followed him could take no greater "stand" in life. These men were laying down their "right" to be self-directed men. They were actually exchanging the role of being "independent" to that of being dependent. Following suggests the exchange of being "self-governed" to the submissive place of being "Christ-governed".

Discipleship requires finding and aligning yourself with others that will "turn and follow". There is a sharing in the message, in the work of the gospel that brings meaning to this new life. It is in walking with others that we see the proof of what it is to experience Christ. Obedience is required of those who will seek to confirm this message for themselves. Jesus asked the disciples to lay down their nets and leave their means of livelihood - that which they were the most familiar with - and take up a new pursuit. They were expected to step out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. Their place of familiarity with what it was they were doing was being transitioned - they were moving into a place where everything was new, fresh, and vital. This would be a place of learning for them. 

Don't ever forget that discipleship requires coming to "see for yourself". They could have stayed on the shore, mending their nets, or in the tax house, recounting their money. But...they didn't. They were not willing to have a second-hand experience. They wanted to see it all for themselves. Some might label this a sense of curiosity. Others might see it as a sense of daring. Whatever it was, they saw something that intrigued them and excited them to take action. Discipleship requires an openness to the newness of revelation that God will give. Nothing matters more in our process of learning than our willingness to learn. When we are "open" to learning, there is much to be taught. The call was one of "coming to see for themselves" - stepping outside of their comfort zones and into a place where not everything was "sure", or "planned in advance". In the movement away from their "comfort zones" they would experience revelation greater than they'd ever imagined. It is as we answer the call to "come and see for yourself" that we are expanded in our revelation! The truth has always been there - we just needed to confirm it for ourselves! Just sayin!

Words like no other words

We sometimes struggle with what it takes to live a godly life, but Peter tells us that everything we need is provided to us IN CHRIST JESUS - not some of the things, not most of the things, but everything we need. Our part in the relationship is to grow in intimate relationship with him – depth and awareness come from him, consistency is what is required from us. We are called to receive his greatness and power – people who understand their calling will also understand the significance of what they have received IN Christ. We are given each of his promises and we can count on these promises because of his love for us. This type of growth comes as we apply the Word to our lives – because it has the effect of producing a life of moral excellence. If we will spend some time faithfully exploring the depths of it, it will produce the right character - but only if we are willing to be changed by it.

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. 

(2 Peter 2:5-9)

Through the Word, we will come to know God better. We cannot read for too long without coming across the evidence of his love for those in intimate and growing relationship with him. We will come face-to-face with his compassion toward sinners, his repeated interventions to keep them safe, and his own hunger to be known by his children. We will come to a place of mature self-control when we allow the Word to begin to impact our choices and actions. The Word of God has a way of dissecting the various areas of our lives where we need to focus attention. We will periodically find ourselves saying, “Ouch, I really needed that!” There are indeed habits in each of our lives that need to be broken, attitudes that need adjusting, and worries that need to be finally resolved. This happens in the quiet moments of reflection on the Word of God.

We will come to a place of learned endurance the more we get into the Word and it has a chance to get into us. In other words, when the Word of God gets into us, it helps us “run strong”. We find that we walk with a sense of assurance and don’t give up so easily on what seems impossible, is difficult to face, or is frightfully annoying. We will come to a place of godliness in our daily walk - that place where our attitude is transitioned from one of independent self-assurance into one of dependent Christ-assurance. The ultimate outcome of spending time with Jesus in the Word is that we will be deeply affected by it! It changes how we “do business” in our daily walk. It is not rocket science – get into the Word, let it get into you, and things will change. No one who allows the Word of God a chance to do what it has the power to do will walk away unaffected by it! Just sayin!

This is taking SO long!

If you have ever lived with anticipation of an upcoming event, such as a much needed vacation, you may have engaged in some type of "countdown" activity such as keeping track of the days until you leave. Why do you do this? Isn't because of the building anticipation of how much you will get to relax, enjoy sights you haven't seen before, or experience some renewal in relationship with those you want to be closest to in life? There is no harm in anticipation as long as it is realistic and you aren't 'putting all your hope' in being a very specific way. I have gone on vacations only to find we have more than one rainy day in a row, significantly impacting the amount of outdoor time I may have desired. I have taken cruises and been unable to get of at a designated port because of choppy seas not making it safe to tender in to the dock. Anticipation is good, but we cannot be so rigid in our expectations that we cannot 'flex' when the outcome isn't exactly as we had imagined!

Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. (I Peter 1:7)

We have expectation not because we live in some fantasy world where all things are good and life is without troubles - but because we know who it is we are walking with through this life. Indeed, God has promised a pretty awesome inheritance to his kids - a priceless inheritance. The promise of inheritance involves being kept pure and what some preachers refer to as being "un-defile" - living beyond the reach of change and decay. Oh sure, our bodies are subject to decay - we still age (some more gracefully than others)! Yet there is a promise for the exchange of this mortal body for an immortal one - that means what may be subject to decay now will one day be above that limitation.

The test of our faith is really a necessary part of our life with God - not because God doesn't love us enough to keep us safe and free of some hard stuff, but because he loves us so much that he wants us to grow through the hard stuff. A test of faith really does two things - it reveals the strength of that faith and it reveals the purity of that commitment we have made to serve God. Our walk with Christ requires faith - not a stagnant faith, but a vital and growing faith. The 'fire' in the furnace is what will bring change to those affected by the furnace. The heat emitted warms the room, taking away the chill of winter some may experience. The intensity of the fire's heat may be elevated to the point of bringing water to a boil, making it possible to steep the tea that would otherwise not be enjoyed. The furnace changes whatever it touches - the trial isn't about pain - it is about change!

There is a concept taught in scripture - it is referred to as "walking worthy". So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. (I Peter 1:14-15) There is a clarity of thought - not simply moving through life trying to rationalize everything we are facing, but a true seeking to understand and then the ability to remain unhindered in our thinking. This ability to walk worthy is hinged on one important concept - the ability to exercise a little self-control. This is much more than will-power that I am referring to here. It is the ability (which always begins with the willingness) to be in control of our own appetites and desires. We cannot walk worthy if we are always living as we want in the moment. When we are always living for the moment, we miss the plan for the future, for those around us, for those who are affected by our "living". Obedience is foundational to this walk - it is perhaps the most important aspect of "walking worthy" that we struggle with. We might be "willing" to be in control of our appetites and desires, but it quite a challenge to be continually exercising the "ability" to be so!

Obedience is really incremental. I am not saying it can be parceled out into moments when you choose to obey and others when you live as you want. What I am referring to is "baby steps" toward incremental change until our belief and character aligns. We make little steps in the right direction until we are found completely obedient. We sometimes struggle the most with this idea of obedience because we see the finished picture without seeing the process of how that picture was developed! A photographer will be able to tell about the slow process of developing a picture - it goes through several different processes until finally it resembles the finished product. The same is true with us in this walk with Christ - we are in the process of change all through our lives! We have to go through the processes before we can be a finished product! Even in this day and age of "instant everything", there is still a process from point A to point B. We still must put the food on a microwavable plate, endure the two minutes for the product to cook, and then serve it up! We can get "quick" development in our lives, but it may not completely resemble the "finished product" that God really intends for us.  Sometimes, the long process of preparation produces the closest example of the image of God in our lives! Just sayin!

More than a new paint job

What does authenticity look like to you? When I see a classic  or historical era automobile restored to all the beauty it once had, parts gleaming and engine purring away without a sputter, I know someone has been hard at work. The work of restoration has cost them hours of endless polishing and patient fine tuning, but those parts that needed a little more restorative work, such as the finely sewn hand-tufted seats catch my attention the most. That level of intricate detail - the investment of such time and effort - this is what moves my heart as I behold the beauty of the whole. I wonder if God takes such a view of us? Looking at all those areas where he has invested such time and effort into creating every intricate detail and restoring it ever so carefully to the way we were designed.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...
(Jeremiah 1:5)

God wants us to be authentic. There is nothing more disappointing than to see someone trying to be something they are not. Try as they might, when what they are trying to be is not authentic, it just is not very convincing. They are trying too hard and what is coming across is just not all that 'real'. The 'work' might be good, but is it authentic? We are uniquely made - fashioned for a specific purpose. We have unique talents - mine do not match yours and vice versa. Even identical twins have a unique make-up of personality, temperament, and talents. So, why is it that we are often struggling to be something that we are not? It is really quite simple - we have never accepted our unique make-up and we are resisting the 'restorative' touch of the one who knows how we were made in the first place!

The uniqueness of each human is not to be mocked, envied, or feared. Yet many of us are not happy with our uniqueness - not very comfortable in our own skin at all. Not accepting the unique way we are made is really a complaint against God! We are saying we know better than God - that he did not create us as we should have been created. The more we find fault with the 'original', the less we will want the restorative power of God to work in our lives - because we aren't going to be content with ourselves no matter what God does! If we are to understand the unique call (purpose) upon our lives, we need to understand the make-up of our souls (our mind, will and emotions). We often find answers where we least expect to find them - when we examine the right stuff! It is when we stop focusing on what we see as "wrong" in our lives and begin to focus on what God sees as "possible" through our lives, we begin to get a revelation into the purpose of our make-up.

I am not a salesperson - I really don't like to have to 'sell' something to someone who may or may not really want it. I am good at some things that others aren't and I appreciate they are good at things I am not all that interested or good at, such as selling stuff.  When I explore how my mind works - analytical, organized, deliberate - I begin to see the possibilities God has created within my life and the ways he wishes to use me in this world. When I explore how my will is directed - focused, determined, and structured - I see even more possibilities. Add to those the way my emotions are formed - reasonable, not reactionary, balanced - I begin to get a picture of what my make-up really is.  I also begin to see just how much restorative work God may have to do in some of those areas of my make-up that got a little damaged by the wear and tear of time and choices!

I begin to see that I can function well in a couple of different areas - a good leader (balanced, fair, organized); a structured teacher (analytical, organized, focused); a reliable friend (true, loving, committed). The list could go on, but I think you might get the picture by now. I did not have to go to a lot of classes or spend months in counseling to figure this out. I simply asked God to show me my make-up and where he needs to focus his attention in order to make all that 'make-up' he created original needs in order to be fully restored to the brilliance he sees. Ask him to reveal how your mind functions - what is it that you seem to get the very first time someone explains it; what comes naturally for you when you first see it. Rely upon him to show you what it is that you have a will to do, to be involved in. But...don't forget to ask him what emotions are both your strength and your weakness. Learning what we are strong in is important - but also learning what we have a weakness toward can keep us from many a wrong pursuit! Authentic people please God! Learn what it is that makes you authentic and step out in the freedom of being who you really are! Just sayin!

Am I being targeted?

If God were to point out something in your life that needs a little changing, what would that be? My attitude stinks at times toward certain people or situations and that needs a little adjustment to get back into alignment. On other occasions, my commitments get pretty overwhelming, requiring an adjustment in my schedule. At still others, my physical health requires some attention because I have let myself pack on some pounds again, or backed off on the healthier eating choices. God isn't going to point out stuff that doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. While the attitude adjustment may not seem all that important to you, he knows it is important to me because to continue with that attitude 'out of whack' would mean I might allow bitterness to take root - when that issue roots, the fruit begins to be pretty bitter, as well! God isn't pointing things out just to make us feel 'guilty' or 'ashamed'. He wants only the best for his kids, so he 'parents' us with an eye on those things that will have an influence on how we 'grow up' in his family.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24 TLB)

As I said, it isn't that God is 'made sad' by the stuff we do that needs a little changing in our lives. It is that he knows exactly how that 'stuff' will make it more difficult to find and stay on the path of life! The path of life he has planned for us to travel isn't one of heartache, remorse, or regret. He wants us to travel the path of joy, peace, and assurance. That said, any time he takes advantage of those moments when we will actually tune in and listen for his voice, he might just use those words that seem to bring conviction into our lives - these are his parenting moments. He is revealing his love in more than the warm fuzzies - he is revealing it in the moment of discipline, instruction, oversight, and encouragement. While all of life isn't going to be filled with 'parenting moments' per se, when they come, we need to tune in and listen just a little closer!

It takes a certain amount of courage to actually ask God to point out any area in our life that actually isn't going the way he'd like to see it go. It takes a certain amount of stubbornness to NOT ask him to point out these areas, as well! I can be as stubborn as the next gal - not wanting the stuff that needs attention to be focused on because it might just mean I will experience a few 'growing pains' if they are! Since God's desire in 'parenting' us is to actually get us gracefully through life's challenge, we can probably count on the fact there will come moments when we don't always 'like' him for pointing out those areas that need adjustment. Although his desire is to gracefully move us from one path to another, our impression may be that we are being targeted and his 'pointer' finger isn't letting up!

Remember God's desire in parenting isn't to scold his kids. It is to bring graceful transition from one phase of growth into the next. There will inevitably be growing pains along the way - count on it. Yet, no good growth actually takes place without oversight and a whole lot of work. God's style of parenting isn't to dictate our path, but he will challenge us to consider any path we take that is outside of the areas he has prepared for our good growth! Just sayin!

That plane isn't going to drop right out of the sky!

If you are anything like me, you sometimes forget that God never (and I mean never) goes back on his promises. Sometimes we get so caught up in the 'delay' between the promise and seeing it realized in our lives that we get a little wigged out with God because there is such a 'gap' between the beginning and the ending. The truth of the matter is that there is meaning in the delay - while we may not understand or fully appreciate it, God is at work. God isn't hindered in his ability to fulfill the promise - but we may be hindering him a little by our reluctance to trust!

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God; you do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them, just as you said! (Isaiah 25:1 TLB)

The other day I saw a plane at what almost appeared to be a total 'stand-still' in the sky. While I know this is impossible, the movement was ever so slight. In researching why this 'appearance' is given to those of us standing on the ground, it has to do with our point of reference. Our distance from that aircraft in the sky is still quite great and we have a decreased ability to fix our eyes on a reference point because of where the plane is in reference to our line of sight. The appearance is one of no movement, but the truth is that the plane is in a very specific movement pattern just above the 'stall' speed which will be required at the time of touchdown. 

There are times when we lose our reference when looking at what God is doing to fulfill a promise in our lives. We don't have a good fix on that reference point and therefore we believe he is not moving. We find ourselves wondering if the plane of our lives will drop right out of the sky! Will that promise stall all together and plummet headlong into oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again? Not likely, because God has the 'perfect speed' being maintained to ensure the delivery of the promise, it is more our perception of the delay that is the issue!

The approaching plane's pilot has much to do in order to deliver that plane safely to the gate. There is the whole control of speed, pitch, and descent rate. The flaps will be lowered, the gear down, and the attitude of the plane's nose will be slightly changed, but the plane is not going to stall in mid-air. Why? The pilot is in control! He knows the plane and he knows the specifics of each part of it, thereby rendering it safely into the 'landing zone' at the appropriate time and speed. Too fast and those on the plane may be injured, or the plane may break apart upon landing. Too slow and the plane will land where it is not supposed to!

There is much to be said about God's timing, but nothing remains truer than this - we lose sight of our reference point, or fail to actually have one, a great deal of the time. God isn't delaying the delivery of the promise as much as he in insuring it is delivered within the right timing, speed, and 'attitude' so as to ensure we come to enjoy it exactly as we should! We are likely going to think he has 'stalled' in the delivery, but he is just asking us to trust him a little longer. Just sayin!

What lies just beneath that layer, or maybe that one?

I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how. I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. (Psalm 119:32, 40) Many people restore old furniture because of the fine workmanship that went into it in the first place. They take great time to remove old layers of built up finishes and various coverings of paint. Why? The restoration will yield a beautifully crafted and solidly made item. Renewal or revival is really a process of bringing something back to life again - it has been withered under the weight of time, pressures of experience, or dismay of disappointment. With revival comes a "re-infusion" of freshness and the possibilities of something new coming forth. I have been guilty of neglecting my houseplants for a period of time, only to realize it once I see the leaves limply hanging in protest to my neglect! In the only way they know how to communicate with me, they are drawing attention to show me their need for water! God expects us to be as transparent with him - calling out to him with our need for revival - the need to be restored again to the beauty of the finest workmanship mankind will ever behold!

We have added layer and layer of things that cover up that beauty - because sin makes us want to cover-up the mars and dings that have developed in our character. Revival involves us sharing our plans and failures with God - allowing him access to the things we think we have "lined up" as the next steps with our life and the things that have been the missed-steps of our lives. Through his Word, he exposes direction to us - we are free to accept or reject it, but he will always bring exposure when we ask for restoration. Through his Word, he also exposes where we have accepted / adopted bad direction in our lives and what it is that we can do to correct that course. When I have learned things through the years in my various educational pursuits, I have appreciated that there are certain principles that apply when a certain outcome is desired. For example, you must heat a substance to a certain point and have just the right mixture of "fuel" in order to have combustion. There is a certain sense of safety in knowing what "principles" apply in a situation. Knowledge of those "principles" help me to avoid disastrous missteps and that reduces the need to have another layer of 'cover-up' in my life!

The principles we learn in our educational opportunities assist us with life's daily challenges. Each principle carries at least one condition that must be met in order for the outcome to be positive, or disaster to be averted. The principles outlined in the Word of God are not any different. Each principle carries a condition - meeting that condition produces the outcome (either good or bad). The Word of God can bring revival - it comes when we understand the force of the principles outlined.
There are times when revival (renewal) involves a process of dealing with grief - because some event or circumstance left us with pain. Each of life's decisions creates a moment of transition - we pass from one state to the next. For example, we pass from grade school to junior high. This transition may produce a sense of grief - old friends may not be going to the same school next term, teachers we have known for several years are no longer going to be around next year, etc. The sense of "transitional loss" can be experienced in our emotions, thoughts, and even in our bodies physically.

Yet, each of these transitional moments are an opportunity for growth - the opportunity to develop new strengths, to embrace new ways of thinking, etc. This is no different in the spiritual sense. The opportunities of "transition" in our spiritual life are riddled with grief, and often many forms of 'cover up', as well. We look back at what we had once experienced, sometimes grieving that we are moving on, and then come head-on with what it is that we are being transitioned into, and then we realize just how many 'layers' have been added into our lives along the way in an attempt to cover up some missteps. In those moments of time, we can either panic, begin looking back, try to hold onto the past, or plunge ahead and allow the layers to be peeled back. The plant can suck up the water and be renewed, or it can choose to say it is beyond revival, wither and die. We can do the same at our points of transition - "suck up" the refreshment of that which is being offered to us, or wallow in the dryness of our past experiences. What we choose to do with the moments of transition determines our future growth! Just sayin!

Do I really want this?

You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.  (Matthew 5:6) There are various types of hunger and desire. We have "appetites" for different things at different times in our day. We don't necessarily want a bag of M&Ms for breakfast, but by our two-o'clock slump we might fancy them - then again, I have been known to down one for breakfast! There are times we eat just because the clock says it is time to eat, or the opportunity is before us. There are other times when we work so intently, caught up in the task at hand, only breaking to find nourishment when we finally realize an intense sense of hunger and fatigue in our bodies. There is appetite and hunger - both pretty similar in meaning. APPETITE: An inherent craving. A preference. A taste for something. That which we strive after. HUNGER: A craving, or urgent need, for that which will satisfy. A longing.

Then there is this little idea of a craving. CRAVING: Something that you earnestly desire. That which we yearn for. A strong inward desire. DESIRE: A longing or hope. A conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction once attained. All these words have something in common - the urgency of attaining that which will satisfy. They focus on what it is that we desire - what we believe will provide us with a sense of reward or satisfaction. We all know that we can be "hungry" for all the wrong things. We also know that changing our mindset (and our "heart-set") to desire things that are good for us is a little more difficult at times. There are several things that we need to ask God to give us a true "desire" for in our lives if we are to grow up into well-rounded believers - but we need to be open to having those desires met by him, as well.

Discipline - we need to begin by asking for the desire to have our lives trained in such a way that we see correction of negative behavior and attitudes as something we need rather than something we dread. We need the "mold" to be changed - and to be truthful here, this only comes through discipline. Along with discipline, we need to be equipped. Equipping - we need to learn how to find our own nourishment from God's Word instead of always having to be fed from the hands of another. This is really the desire to be pursue both God's provisions and his promises - in order that we would be "fit" for service and action. It is fine to be fed, but when we do a little toward the preparation of what it is we partake in, we sometimes value it a little more.

We all want to realize a place of satisfaction in our lives, but we seldom realize that the greatest satisfaction is found in the place of our lives being sanctified (made holy) by our God. As we desire to grow in the grace of God, truly being set apart as an example of his grace, we develop an intense longing to be free of the sin that clutters our lives. We all probably want a sense of closeness with our Savior. This desire is really for "contact" with our Lord - there is a need to know him, but also to be known by him. With this desire for contact comes this idea of renewal or refreshing. Contact with our Savior makes for an open pathway that leads into places where we are deeply touched and constantly renewed. We all need times of inner renewal or a refreshing of our spirit man. There is a desire to be vitally connected with God - so that we are renewed (made fresh) each day.

Enlightenment - we all want to "be in the know" as it comes to the things God is doing and showing us. With illumination comes exposure - this is the rub. We want to know much more than we are willing to expose ourselves - we need to have this desire expanded in our lives if we are to really have our 'appetite' for the things of God expanded and fully met. We may not know the true value of our hunger until we experience the results of having that hunger truly satisfied. I know from personal experience, I can eat and eat in the physical sense, all the while just not having whatever it was that I was really craving truly satisfied. The problem is that I have failed to recognize the specific craving - it was probably not really for chocolate, but for an apple! We need God to begin to show us what it is that we really are craving in our lives and then begin to trust him to meet those cravings out of the storehouse of his love and goodness. Where the cravings aren't going to satisfy, he will help us to change them to the ones that will! Just sayin!

Anchored for good

A promise - do we really understand the meaning of that word anymore today? It seems like words are spoken these days, with no real intention of keeping those "promises". Sometimes it is because they were made in the spur of the moment. At other times, it is because they were made at a moment when we were emotional vulnerable. In fact, many people who raise money for various projects count on us being too busy to really explore what we are giving the money toward, or that their marketing tactics will tug at our heart-strings enough to get us to give. A promise is an expression of assurance that we base our expectation on - not a stipulation, or an undertaking that might or might not work out. When God made a promise to his children, he made it with a commitment to fulfill every aspect of that promise, regardless of the cost. He didn't make those promises us to either at the spur of the moment, or because his emotional strings were pulled. They were made out of intense love.

Remember what you said to me, your servant—I hang on to these words for dear life! These words hold me up in bad times; yes, your promises rejuvenate me.  (Psalm 119:49-50)

Hope comes on the wings of a promise. Comfort is contained in the heart of the promise. The Word of God is filled with promises God has made toward his children. So, why is it that we view God's Word as something that is laborious, hard to grasp, and something just way too lofty for our understanding? If it is filled with hope and affords comfort, why do we resist the study of that Word? It really only becomes a comfort, a hope for our daily lives, when we discover it and then live by it, counting on those promises contained within and living by the standards proclaimed there. For David, God's Word had become his night reflection. In the wee hours of night, his mind turned to God - his thoughts were carried into the presence of his loving and compassionate heavenly father. As a child of God, he reflected often on his heavenly father - on the heritage of being one of the children of his household. Reflection is a learned process - it comes through practice - it becomes part of our regular lives. As he got acquainted with what his father spoke to him in the Word, he allowed that Word to have a life-transforming impact on him. As a matter of fact, the more we make God the focus of our reflection, the easier it is to reflect him to others in our life. The more his Word will have a life-transforming impact on us.

You might just have notices how often David declared with an assurance, "Lord, you are mine!" This was not just a saying for him that was without any basis. He stood assured that he belonged to his heavenly father, and that he could proclaim that he had a strong connection to his heavenly father. When we begin to ponder his ways, our ways no longer seem that attractive. We begin to really follow him when this occurs - we lose focus on the things of this world and begin to really tune into him. In that exchange of focus, there is an assurance that every promise is ours. Following begins with "pondering" - we have to consider something before we will just begin to move in that direction.  Pondering is the initiation of action. What we "turn over" in our minds is what we often act upon. Therefore, if our minds are focused on the promises of God, we will hope and trust in them with an assurance. No wonder why David pondered these promises in the stillness of night reflection!

The process of following moves from pondering the truths of God's Word, to allowing that Word to deeply affect our lives. We hurry, without any signs of lingering or hesitation, to obey what is contained within those words. Sometimes we get in trouble at this point - not because the Word of God is not trustworthy, but because we look back - we consider for longer than we should what it is we are leaving behind and forget about what we are moving toward. We don't keep our focus straight ahead. Whenever we spend our time looking back, we lose focus on what lays ahead - God is not at work in the past, he is at work in the present and in the future (this requires a forward focus). There is a step in our following that is what I will refer to as "anchoring". We anchor ourselves in him - fully trusting his promises, standing assured in his presence, reliant on his direction. We can simply "believe" the commandments and promises of God - but that doesn't "anchor" us to him. Anchoring comes in the moment by moment reflection upon him. It is in the consistent reflection that we are made consistent in our reflection of him. We become anchored to that which gives us assurance. Where are you anchored today? To what promises are you holding onto for the fulfillment of your dreams today? Discovering and holding onto the promises of God will give you firm "anchorage" in troubling times. We have all we need to face the challenge of today when we are anchored in him for good! Just sayin!

Not quite ready yet

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. (Hebrews 6:7) There are lots of soil types that a farmer might come across in his journey to bring forth a crop. There might be rocky soil that is able to bear some crop, but then it soon withers because of the lack of both nutrients and the intensity of heat scorching the tender new growth. The soil could be hard, unyielding to the seed sown, allowing the seed to be easily snatched away by scavenging birds or carried on the wind to parts unknown. Regardless of the type of soil, it has to be "tended" in order to bring forth a crop. The farmer has a great deal of work which must be accomplished PRIOR to planting the seed, doesn't he? Then why would we expect anything less of our hard hearts? God has a lot of work which must also be done in the soil of our hearts if it is to be readied to receive the seed he plants there!

Renewal is the process of something being made new or refreshed. The process of renewal for the one who farms is often a process of plowing the earth - turning over the soil time and time again until it is "fit" for the reception of the seed. In the plowing process, renewal occurs because that soil is broken up, allowing the farmer to see what is hidden below the surface. The plow has a purpose - it is to create a newness in that field. The plow cuts up the fallow (hard) areas - those that have remained un-turned, trodden down by constant wear and tear, scorched by the heat of day. Those fallow areas are often barren of any real growth because they simply have not been touched by the farmer's plow. Once the plow is brought to that soil, it has a chance to yield a crop. The surface has been opened to accept what might be sown, but it is still not ready despite being opened. The plow often digs deep, opening up the soil, but that first pass of the plow is not the last. It is by the frequent and consistent passage of that plow over that soil that it is made receptive.

The plow's work is not done until what is hidden is exposed - in a spiritual sense, these might be the hidden areas of our heart that have been carefully guarded against exposure. We often "tuck away" certain areas of our hearts (of our emotions) that have been hurt by others, neglected through misuse, or simply ignored because of a lack of interest. The Lord is a compassionate farmer - he knows that what remains hidden will only hinder the growth of the crops he desires to produce. It is only in the exposure of what lies beneath the surface that he can truly ensure hindrances to our growth are removed. The plow takes what is unyielding and makes it broken - it is always in God's plan that the soil of our hearts be open to receive what he has for us. When the farmer first passes the plow, the clods of dirt are huge! In the frequent passage of that plow, those clods become more broken, smaller in size, and more receptive to the seed. Huge things in our minds and hearts are made smaller by the passage of God's "plow". The impossible become possible because he breaks it down to manageable size.

It is by the plow's passage that what is untouched is made fresh. Rocks are exposed and in the exposure of those rocks, there comes the possibility of finally removing them. The rocks serve no purpose in the field, but they may make a nice fence - their usefulness in the field is limited, but in the master's hand, even rocks have a purpose. In the passage of the plow, weeds are removed - allowing that which only sucks away our strength to be removed and the soil of our hearts to be available to bring forth the fruit he promises. The plow is never easy, but it indeed has such huge potential. The heart is made ready for God's seeding. New areas of our spirit, mind, and emotions are opened to the possibility of God's new growth - through the process of the Spirit's plow. I don't know what God uses for the plow in your life, but I have experienced loss of job, sickness, trouble in relationships, financial stress, turmoil at work, and infinite other things. Each served a purpose - although their purpose may not have been readily evident in the midst of the plowing! The important thing is that he knows what plow brings us to the place of our optimal growth opportunities! So, instead of resisting his care, we need to yield ourselves to it. In so doing, we enjoy the possibility of renewal. Just sayin!

But you....

Whom have I in heaven but You? I want nothing more on earth, but You. My body and my heart may grow weak, but God is the strength of my heart and all I need forever. (Psalm 73:25-26 NLV) We could ask ourselves this question daily and if we were really, really honest with ourselves and others, we might just admit we have a whole lot of things and people who get in the way of our closeness in relationship with God! We have all manner of media to distract us. We engage in all manner of 'hobby' to fill our downtime. We masterfully add events and meetings into our schedules until we realize we haven't left any time for even a bio-break! The more we ask if we really have the right focus, the more we may discover we don't.

We cannot be afraid of asking, though, for it is oftentimes the point of discovery that sets in motion the change we really need in order to 'right' that focus once again. I know I speak for myself on this one - the more I find myself 'empty' - the more I find my relationship with Jesus has had some 'interrupters'. It isn't that I fall out of relationship with him, but our time together is more superficial instead of deeply meaningful. Our time is rushed and our moments grow less frequent. Have you ever found yourself there? You only need to keep in mind the heart of our psalmist to understand what God is after  ---  that God is our strength, all we need, and nothing makes our heart grow weaker than to be out of that close relationship with him for any length of time.

My mother is 100 and she has lived a long, long life. Her heart is still 'strong' in the sense that she doesn't take a lot of medications to support it, but it is growing weaker by the day. You will notice her slowing her pace, taking more and more time to accomplish even the smallest of tasks, and requiring lots more breaks in between those tasks to 'recover'. Her heart has lost some of the strength it used to possess. A weak heart needs rest - when we see our 'hearts' growing weak, it isn't more we need to pile in as much as it may be less we need to be doing so we have time to recover!

We all need time well spent in times of spiritual rest in order to recover our spirit, regenerate our heart, and bolster our soul. We do well to ask if Jesus is really the strength we seek, or is he something we try to 'pile in' at some point in our day that we just know we need, but don't really give a top priority. We do well to evaluate if he is all we need, or do we live with a Jesus AND.... kind of focus. If it is the Jesus AND.... kind of focus we have had, we might just need to come back to the place we let go of that which has been making our heart weak! Just sayin!

What is your 'back story'?

Are you a people person? You probably know the type of individual I am referencing here - that one who is so comfortable around everyone and just 'fits in' wherever they go. There are those who just like the comfort of a few close friends and then there are others who seem to flourish in huge crowds of friends. I am probably more like the former than the latter - just really comfortable with a few close friends and a little less comfortable with those 'larger crowd' of friends. Did you realize the Holy Spirit actually helps us be good friends - to be comfortable around people - and to have those really good relationships with them? He is God's gift to us in so many ways, but this particular 'gift' to us is significant because it is often in others that we see elements of God's love and grace in ways we don't always see it in ourselves. We have the opportunity to get to know God when we get to know those God brings into our circle of influence - because the Holy Spirit is helping us to see him there!

For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them. (2 Timothy 1:7 TLB)

God gives us glimpses into who he is, how he operates, and what his grace can do in a person's life as we observe those ones God places within our circle. We see glimpses of his power - because those individuals reflect that power in the "miracle moments" when God intervenes in their lives and shows himself strong on their behalf. As we behold his power on display, we are gaining knowledge of how God's power can also be displayed in our lives. We see glimpses of his grace - because God doesn't just surround us with individuals who have no issues or problems. He surrounds us with others who are just as 'faulty' as we are - those who 'mess up' sometimes as much and perhaps even more than we do. It isn't because God wants us to see their flaws, but because he is helping us to see how limitless his grace really is - and how his grace goes about restoring individuals, not just to their former state, but to a better state than they ever knew before.

Some of us will freely admit we are not always comfortable with others. It may be that we are a little intimidated by how 'perfect' their lives look on the outside. Yet, the Holy Spirit helps us see what those individuals are really like just beneath the surface - as 'imperfect' as we are and on this same journey toward 'getting things right' just like us! We don't need to be intimidated by others - we need to be embraced by them. We need the strength they have experienced and we also need to understand they haven't always stood strong. It is that developed strength that we behold, but it is the 'back story' that we don't always understand. The strength is there because of the work of God in their lives and we need to get close enough to see how God helped take all those things in their 'back story' and work them together to produce this strength in them. We learn as we relate - we receive as we embrace each other. We need each other and we need the Holy Spirit to help us get close enough to the other person to actually understand and learn from that 'back story'! Just sayin!