Verified by Grace

Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives. (I Corinthians 1:4-5)

Free and open access - wouldn't it be nice to have that type of access to everything we need in life? We could just walk into the bank and the manager would be right there to welcome us in, taking care of each of our needs. We could call the city buildings and there would be no phone trees to navigate through, or automated systems to push our buttons! I am so grateful for the free and open access I have to God - through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! No 'phone trees' or 'buttons to push' - no sense that anyone else matters more than me. How about you? Do you sense this free and open access you have with him? If you have said a grateful 'yes' to Jesus - you have it!

I would like us to focus on the next part of this passage - the 'no end to what has happened to you' part. Think on that one for just a bit and you will likely begin to succumb to the sense of God's grace extended not once, but time and time again until your life began to finally be set right in him. Grace has a way of overwhelming us when we begin to ponder the magnitude of it within our lives. Grace extended to not only forgive our past sins, but to deal with the lingering desires. Grace opened up to us so we could experience the settling peace of his presence within us. Grace that ushers us along, step by step, until we come out of what has had us bound and into what now lets us live free.

Beyond speech - beyond knowledge - this pretty much describes the work of Christ in our lives through grace. Our past is grace. Our present is grace. Our future is grace. Let that sink in a bit - there is no end to this work within us. There is no end to what has and is happening within our lives as Christ's love envelops us and his Spirit creates newness where only death existed. This is why Christianity is not a 'stagnant' or 'one-time' experience. It is a living and breathing existence with and in him. Evidence of his grace-filled work is there - we may not see it at first, but it is! Free in him. Alive in him. Verified by his grace. Let that be your thought today - "I am verified by grace". Just thinkin....

Bountifully Blessed

But all who are hunting for you—oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you’re all about tell the world you’re great and not quitting. And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—but God, don’t put it off. (Psalm 40:16-17)

I love this psalm of David because of the sincerity of heart I see expressed in each word he speaks. He reminds us God lifts us out of the deep ditches, the sticky places, then helps us see what it is like when we come to see the world as a huge stockpile of God-wonders. Eyes open, heart eager to respond, thoughts turned to God - standing ready for God's intervention. The most truthful words of this psalm are about in the middle - where David calls out to God to deal with his amassed guilt - the very guilt he had accumulated through many wrong choices. He describes his condition of spirit and soul: "I was so swamped by guilt I couldn’t see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out." (vs. 12) I can account for my own realization of having stood exactly where David stood that day - bogged down in the mire of my wrong choices, stuck squarely in the middle of my mess. In the realization of where I had ended up, my soul was consumed by such guilt, it almost felt like my heart would indeed give out. God specializes in "unsticking" our stuck feet - we are not "stuck" to our sin, nor its guilt and shame - we are free in him!

My brother is an accomplished hunter, while I am more of a hunter of a good bargain at the grocery store! My brother has all kinds of skill as a hunter - able to secure much in the way of resources for his household through his skill. So, I wanted to turn today to some lessons from what I have heard my brother describe as some of the tactics and skills of a hunter. He knows what he wants to find. If he has no interest in hunting for a particular species of animal or fowl this season, he doesn't "put in" for the tags to go on the hunt. In other words, he has a design in his hunting - the object of his desire. God always honors the man or woman who makes him the object of their desire! Knowing what or who it is we want in this "hunt" is the first step in being on the right track to find what it is we are "hunting". He knows finding requires some preparation. He secures the right ammunition, the correct size of weapon, and then 'gears up' for the climate he will hunt in. He doesn't waste his time looking where the hunted animal or fowl will not be found. Knowing what the species feasts upon gives him a pretty good idea of where to find them - since he has explored much of the forest and desert lands in our state, he knows well where to find these "feasting" areas. I don't think things are much different in our pursuit of God - he "feasts" on certain things like the honesty of a heart, the reach of an empty hand, or the tears of a grieving soul. He can always be found in the midst of our need. His location is not as unpredictable as some may think - for he is consistently in exactly the same location!

He scouts for the object of the hunt. What amazes me most is the work my brother has to go to weeks ahead of the hunt - not to obtain the object of the hunt during those early trips, but to become familiar with the places he will hunt, what food is available, and the times of day they feast on those foods. Scouting is nothing more than observing. Through scouting expeditions, my brother is getting familiar with the paths. He looks for signs of their places of rest, their paths of travel, and their points of feeding. Why? He knows in taking time to get to know these traits, he will become familiar with the object of his hunting. Here we find the secret of a heart after God - in taking the time to become familiar with the object of our attention he becomes the object of our affection. My brother is frequently rewarded for his work. No hunter likes to return home empty-handed. If you have prepared well, becoming so familiar with the places the object of your hunt frequents, you might not return empty-handed. God is the God of plenty - not the God of emptiness. The "work" of seeking the object of the hunt "pays off" in the bounty we are rewarded with. I believe the purpose of the hunt for my brothers was not the "sport" of the hunt, but the "bounty" of the hunt. It is in the "bounty" that he receives that the needs of his home are met. It is in the "bounty" of God's provision of love, hope, healing, forgiveness, and grace that our hearts are filled to overflowing. I may not hunt for the furry or feathered creatures of this earth, but my heart is steadfast in its pursuit of the one who gives me "bounty" beyond my ability to fully contain it. I hope you are along with me on this "hunt". Just sayin!

Cogitate on This

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom. (Psalm 1)

God charts the road we take - are we staying on course with that charted path? Don't really know how to answer that question? Those who aren't quick to just accept whatever 'plan' or 'scheme' a man might set out before them - these are the ones who are staying the course. Those who keep company with upright and godly people who serve to spur them on in their walk - they are on course. Those who are eager in their obedience to the things of God - steady and sure. Those who listen intently and seek to learn all that God teaches - on course. How are you stacking up? On course?

Those who allow God to chart their course find themselves in a place of safety and continual renewal. While we are never without problems in this world, we can know this place of protection and 'refilling' by remaining on course with him. We might think this 'day and night meditating' thing is like some type of 'mystical trance' we must maintain, but it is merely calling him to mind as we go throughout our day - paying close attention the tiny nudges his Spirit brings - openly acknowledging we don't know what to do when we don't rather than just plotting on ahead in the darkness. Meditating is really 'ruminating' - a big word that describes the process of pondering.

Anyone who knows me will admit I am one who 'ponders'. I don't act quickly, unless life or limb is in danger. I research, ruminate a bit, research some more, ponder the things I have learned, and eventually make a move in the direction I want to go. It is a process of 'cogitation' I go through. As a matter of fact, I sometimes tell them I am going to have to 'cogitate' on it a bit - I am just admitting I need to ponder! I am going through the process of deliberating and reflecting - eventually I will have weighed the details and options before me - then I act. This isn't dragging my feet - it is me trying to be deliberate about the things I think God wants me to do, be engaged in, or leave behind.

How about you? Are you a 'cogitator' like me? Do you spend time ruminating over what God brings in your times of study with him until you see how the truth begins to affect your life? Do you find yourself seeking 'roots' instead of 'quick growth'? If this describes you - you are definitely on course! So keep going! You aren't dragging your feet - you are learning to live obediently and this may actually take some 'pondering'! Just sayin...

Fact Check, Please

 Franz Kafka reminds us to "start with what is right rather than what is acceptable". These are indeed wise words as so many today just 'accept' things along the way in life and don't really 'fact check' them to see if they are 'right' or just 'acceptable'. To follow blindly is indeed dangerous territory - we may just find ourselves doing things we might not really want to do, repeating things best not repeated, and believing things not really all that trustworthy. We have an obligation to each other as members of God's family to 'fact check' the things we believe, act upon, and repeat to others. If we don't, we can lead others into some pretty confusing places in their lives!

So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. When we worship the right way, God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. (I Corinthians 14:26, 33)

As we are all made up of differing personalities and unique talents, we owe it to each other to nourish the talents of those God brings into our community of believers, but we also owe it to ourselves to not just blindly accept all they say and do. Gather together, but create a culture that is safe for all - that adheres to the truth as outlined in God's Word - learn to 'fact check'. Do their teachings align with what God tells us in scripture? If not, don't just reject it as untrue - correct it. Share truth because others may not realize they have just followed what was 'acceptable' in culture today rather than what is 'right' by God's standards.

I don't want to presume to be right. There are times when I am clearly wrong. I always want to be open to correction wherever it is needed in my life. How about you? Have you ever had the 'facts checked' in your life and found you likely needed a little bit of 'correction'? It may not be the easiest to admit that we need to reject something we have accepted in our lives, but when we willingly lay it down we might just experience freedom from something that was actually holding us back in our spiritual growth. This Christian walk isn't always 'intuitive' - especially when we receive so many conflicting messages from this world we live in.

We live in a world where there is a lot of confusion about what is right and wrong. Believe it or not, some accept things just because others do. At some point, it becomes the blind leading the blind and that isn't going to end well! Be a leader of truth. Be an example of righteousness. Bring truth and light wherever you go. Allow God to do the 'fact checking' in your life and then when you gather together with others - you won't be adding to the confusion, you will be bringing order and light! Just sayin!

A small connection

I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me! I concentrate on doing exactly what you say— I always have and always will. (Psalm 119:105)

What have you inherited in your lifetime? As a small child, my paternal grandmother passed and she left me her silverware, complete with a beautiful wood chest to store it in. It is that kind that you wouldn't use everyday, but it has such meaning because it was from someone I got to know only slightly. When my dad passed, some of his tools were incorporated into my tool-shop, but do you know what I treasure the most? His lapel pins! He had some that he had 'earned' as a certified life underwriter for a large insurance company and others he had 'earned' as a member of the military armed forces in Canada. Those are also in a special wood box - memories I will always cherish because they are a small connection with my dad. When mom passed, my home was filled with all kinds of treasures she had made in the ceramics shop when she was fully-sighted and able to do such things. These adorn the walls, and they create beauty in the soffits, but the one thing I cherish most is a pillow my daughter made for me from one of mom's favorite nightgowns. Soft and cuddly fleece, but most importantly - a connection with my mom. There is more than one Bible around my house - each from various times in my life when I felt like I needed to add a new one. Some were for studies in Bible College and others were just for enjoying the reading of the Word. These are also an inheritance - not really handed down to me from a human, but definitely handed down to me by God himself!

The Word of God is often overlooked as one of our greatest 'inheritances' because we don't realize how it helps us make a 'connection' with the one who has given it as our inheritance. It should mean more to us than just a book on a shelf - it should become a living and breathing part of our lives because that is what the giver intended when he gave us this gift! Today's blog is short and sweet - find that 'inheritance', dust it off a bit, and then 'make that connection' with the giver! At first, the connection may be small, but in time you will find the connection will grow until it begins to live inside of you as much as the memories of those who have gone on before you! Just sayin!

Don't get too comfortable

Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for your nourishing commands. (Psalm 119:18)

If you have ever been in a situation where you kind of feel like it is 'foreign' to you, you probably felt a little like a fish out of water. You flopped around, struggling to find a way back to where you felt comfort and ease. I know moments like these cause most of us some angst, increasing our anxiety level more and more as we wander around a little lost and insecure. Being a 'stranger' isn't easy to deal with, probably because as 'sojourners' in this place of discomfort we find it hard for us to move from stranger or foreigner to being at ease dwelling where we are placed. God isn't immune to our discomfort - he has a plan for it!

Take a moment to dwell on the idea of God having a plan for our feeling a little like life is a bit 'foreign' to us right now. There is much to be learned when we are made a little uncomfortable. It is usually God 'stirring up' something within us that he is about to do within us. As our psalmist prays, he asks God to open his eyes so he doesn't miss what God is about to do. I often pray this same prayer - sometimes as nothing more than what I refer to as 'arrow prayers' - those tiny prayers that are about a sentence long, but are intentional and from the heart. The truth is our souls are kind of starving a bit and if we are to find the nourishment our souls need need, we need to get a little more than a 'bit' uncomfortable in order to be open to how God will meet those needs. 

Insatiable appetites for what God has in store for us - what image does that conjure up for you? I have those nights when nothing looks good in the fridge, pantry, or fruit bowl. I want something, but I don't know what it is. That is kind of like what it is to feel a little like a stranger in our present circumstances - we know God is working, we are hungry for something, but we have no idea what it will be that will satisfy that hunger. We are ravenous, but we aren't able to find the very thing that will satisfy that insatiability until we allow God to take us a little bit further into that place of discomfort. It seems a little like God might just be a little 'hard on us' when he allows us to get uncomfortable - feeling like life is a bit foreign - but the way to discover new the new things he desires for us is for us to get out of our comfort zone and into the place where he is free to move. 

God isn't cruel when he allows us to feel discomfort - he is exercising the greatest of kindnesses toward us! He knows we will have our deepest desire kindled at the point of our greatest discomfort. Just sayin!

He IS and he DOES

You are right and you do right, God; your decisions are right on target. You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to you. My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. I’m too young to be important, but I don’t forget what you tell me. Your righteousness is eternally right, your revelation is the only truth. Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight. The way you tell me to live is always right; help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. (Psalm 119:143)

One of the toughest thing we can do in life is pray this prayer. To trust him is to actually ask God to help us understand that he IS right and that he always DOES what is right - even when we don't understand fully what he is doing. As you can imagine, I am one of those individuals who wants to know what God is doing - I don't really like to be in the dark on matters, but I oftentimes find myself caught off-guard by what God is doing! Why? Is it that I am not maintaining a close relationship? No, not really, but we can always do better with that, can't we? Is it because God wants to hold things close to the chest and not let me in on them? Not really, but there are times when the thing he is doing is so beyond my comprehension it would totally blow me away if I knew it all 'up front'. So, as you can imagine, trust is the key here. I need to trust God to tell me the way I should live, then live as he tells me. How about you? Do you find yourself not understanding God at times? If so, begin by praying this verse to him. He backs his Word with his power, so praying these words could just begin to open the door to our understanding more and more!

God 'rightly instructs us in how to live EVER FAITHFUL TO him'. If you want to live faithfully, it might just begin with these words, "Help me be faithful even when I don't feel like it, God". Too many of us want to complicate this 'faithfulness' thing - we think one slip up means we aren't being very 'committed' to our desire to be faithful. The most important thing for us to keep in mind is the GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL. Even when we are not all that faithful, he IS! He isn't going to let us slip away into some dark hole just because we slip up from time to time. He IS the God of restoration - grace IS his response. God's strength IS ours. His hope IS ours. His commands ARE right and they ARE true - the will endure forever. We will fail from time to time, but he remains FAITHFUL - giving grace and instruction until we can become faith-full.

I know I have doubted God's decisions in my life on occasion. When I thought I was supposed to be going to nursing school and God asked me to lay down that vision and attend Bible College instead, I wondered at that decision. If I were to be painfully honest here - I needed to grow up a bit and get 'solid' at a 'foundational' level in my life - so I went to Bible College. Did I 'need' those two degrees? Not in the sense of hanging them up on my wall, but the pursuit of those degrees settled something in my heart that made me 'ready' for nursing school. Did my vision for nursing school die that day? No, it got moved to a later timeframe! As you know, I finished nursing school at 30. Old by some standards, but my heart was ready for the next 33 years of that career! As I sit here today, retired and fully content to enjoy this next stage of my life, would I say the journey was riddled with doubts along the way? You betcha! Thankfully God took every doubt I 'prayed' to him and unwound them until I began to be at peace with who he IS and what he DOES in my life. Are you there? Just askin!

Be unstoppable

If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God. (I Peter 3:18)

I am gonna meddle a bit this morning, so get ready. I have to ask you how your 'conscience' is fairing these days - is it clear some of the time, most of the time, or very infrequently? Truth be told, hardly anyone can say their conscience doesn't get a little 'muddied' from time to time. We all entertain doubts, get wrapped up in ways of thinking that are not very edifying for us or the other person we are thinking about, or just get a little too close to entertaining things in our minds that we would be best to never have explored. How do we keep a clear conscience before God? It really isn't all that difficult, but it does require some concerted effort on our part. This whole business of 'taking every thought captive' is harder than it sounds. Get one thought reined in and the next unruly one begins to brew. That's why our passage today reminds us we need to 'keep' our hearts 'at attention' - in full adoration. 

I served in the military after high school and remember being called to attention for the first time as we all piled off the bus onto the grounds of our training base. We were a rough looking bunch, all mismatched in our civilian clothing, and a bit 'unruly'. Let me assure you of one thing - those Drill Sergeants were not going to allow any 'mismatched' or 'unruly behavior'. Why? They were charged with getting us into sync with each other, creating a group of individuals that no longer thought only about themselves. We don't keep our hearts at attention all alone - it is hard to do that alone. We need each other and the 'company' of positive influences. I oftentimes keep Alexa tuned into one of my favorite Christian artists or music stations for this very reason. The 'background' of the music reminds me whose I am, how much I am forgiven, and how greatly I am loved and cared for each and every moment of the day. 

Too frequently we give the opposing forces in our lives way too much of our attention. As pointed out in this passage, we aren't even to give that opposition any 'mind space' in our lives. That means we don't entertain those thoughts that the enemy of our souls wants us to ponder - even for the smallest amount of time. Do you want to be an unstoppable force on this earth? Then keep your conscience clear! How? By 'filtering out' the stuff you don't need to ponder and allowing a continual renewal of your mind by 'bringing in' the stuff you do need to ponder. A steady 'diet' of the Word of God. The pleasant reminders of worship songs that center our attention on the one who loves us so much. Solid and honest conversation with God on a regular basis. These are the things we can do to 'bolster' our thought life. In time, our conscience is 'filtered' because we are allowing the 'evil' or 'vile' to be washed out by the 'holy' and 'pure'. Just sayin!

Anyone facing adversity?

A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed? (Proverbs 18:14)

To be pressed or squeezed with such a force so as to destroy or deform - anyone know what that feels like? It feels like you are being forced out by pressing, so that you will eventually break. Sometimes people don't see my fascination in the study of words, but when we take a little time to explore the various meanings of a word, we often begin to ponder things we might have missed before. This is especially true when it comes to understanding the Word of God. The "words" God chose to share with us in the pages of our Bible are not by chance - they are selected for their meaning. Therefore, getting the most out of the Word of God often requires us to be open to considering the meaning of the words chosen to express a certain matter of thought or instruction. I have some friends who have been through tremendous pressures this past year, and others who are beginning this next year with some of the most terrifying decisions they will have to make in their lifetime. Some have known the death of a family member. Others have faced the all too fatiguing venture into chemo and radiation treatments, fighting for just a few more days on this earth with friends and family. Catastrophic events - painful decisions - still more painful courses ahead. Yet, in it all, one of the things I have seen in each of these individuals is the "extracting" of something from deep within. They have been transformed by the events - not just in a physical sense, but in a deeply spiritual sense, as well.

Some of us think of a crushed spirit is that which cannot bear up under the weight of the pressures exerted upon it. I beg to differ - for in the crushing process something is extracted. I know the passage really speaks to the idea of keeping your spirit healthy - so you stand strong and face all this adversity well. Yet, in the moments of crushing there is something once hidden from view that comes out into the open. Some call this hope or even faith. Regardless of what you call it, the crushing process is what caused it to rise to the surface. I don't think God gives us a load that will completely crush us - pulverizing us, destroying us completely. I do believe he allows some times of "crushing" in order to extract from us what he knows is deep within. The spirit of man is a resilient thing - made to connect directly to the Spirit of God. There is a dynamic effect of connecting man's spirit with that of the divine Creator God's. In fact, when the connection is made the pressures we are faced with have a way of strengthening this connection. Don't get me wrong - the tremendous physical adversities, emotional turmoil, and intensity of making the right decisions that must be faced are real. We cannot trivialize the crushing weight of the issues at hand. Yet, in the midst of the crushing weight of the issue, there remains one thing the enemy of their soul did not count on - faith! He banked on the weight to crush even the most fragile faith - but God counted on the crushing to extract that faith - bringing it to the surface for all to behold! When something is extracted, it is pulled or drawn out to the surface. There is an effort required - but in the pressure exerted - the bounty is beheld.

I do not know the battles you face today, but I do know with a certainty - God's in the midst of the battle and he is allowing just enough pressure to be exerted that will manifest what is hidden deep within. The pressure is real - it shall not utterly crush you - but it shall reveal the depth of your faith, the intensity of your love, and the intimacy of your connection with the Creator of all things. My heart is with you today, dear friends. As you "bear up" under the crushing forces you walk under today, I am praying for the beauty of his grace to be so evident in your lives. Just prayin!

Putt-Putt or Vrrrmmmm-Vrrrrmmmm?

Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. (Colossians 1:9)

Be honest here - do you ever feel like the 'power' you are operating under is really not 'power', but more like a 'putt-putt' kind of existence? If you are there, don't fret because we all find ourselves there from time to time. The truth of the matter is that we sometimes launch off in our own 'might' or 'power', not fully understanding the 'umph' behind our actions is really not God's, but our own. It takes a bit to understand how God works through us, but when we discover his power moving through us, something 'clicks' and we begin to appreciate the difference between our 'putt-putt' movements and his mighty power! As this happens, we don't ever want to operate under our own pathetic power any longer!

We all need someone to be praying these words on our behalf, don't we? We all need someone to be praying for our minds to be un-muddled and free of 'cluttering confusion'. We all need our spirits in tune with the Spirit of God moving within us. We all need to learn to work 'smarter', not 'harder'. To operate within our own power is to worker harder - to allow the Spirit of God to 'innervate' our actions is to work 'smarter'. We learn to work 'smarter' as we learn to embrace the prompting of the Holy Spirit within us. I have launched off in so many different directions in my life, only to find at the end of it all I am so tired and frustrated by the results of all that work. Why? I was doing everything under my own power.

How do we learn to 'exchange' our putt-putt power for the dynamo of God's power within us? I think it comes as we begin to learn more and more of how God works. How do we learn this? By listening, paying attention, seeing positive examples of other believers, and getting to know what his Word tells us about how he acts, when he acts, and where he acts. We stop 'putting around' when we begin to understand God's actions aren't always quick - some are methodical, gradual, and taken over time. Others are quick because the action is needed now. It takes time to get to know these things about God, but trust me on this one - getting familiar with how and when and where God moves is the beginning of a new level of 'power' within your life. You will never again settle for the 'putt-putt' power of your own doing! Just sayin!

Emoji not

Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim. (Proverbs 15:4)

Since I spend a great deal of time sharing my 'words' with you, I oftentimes find myself reflecting on the words I have shared. Why? The things we say are quite important - if not today, they may be at some point in the life of someone who hears or reads them down the road. Our words are to reflect the love and grace of God - they are to reveal truth, bind up wounds, and create a culture in which people can find hope. Words can be quite damaging when spoken without thought. They can indeed 'maim' - even without us consciously knowing they have.

Do you know what the term 'maim' really means? It is more than doing bodily harm. When we 'maim' with our words it is kind of like us 'disabling' another individual. We 'incapacitate' and in turn, we hinder their progress forward. I think this is why God repeats himself about our 'words' so many times in scripture - he knows their potential to build up, but he also knows the potential to tear down.

Indulge me for just a moment and think back over the last hour. What words did you speak to another? What words did you use to describe something to yourself - those words in your mind that rumble around in there until you are convinced they are true? I receive all kinds of text messages and some of them are quite warming, but nothing warms my soul as much as those that are spoken in genuine love to my face. 

I saw a little meme on social media this morning that showed the hieroglyphics of ancient days and just below it the most popular emojis of this day and age. Do you know what the caption said? "4,000 years later and we're back to the same language." Sad, but true! We resort to all manner of 'conversation' these days without ever sharing face-to-face. If words have so much significance in God's eyes, maybe it might be time we just take notice of where our words have fallen a bit shy of what God really desires and begin to use words that build up, shine light on his grace, and open doors for us to share even more words face-to-face. Just sayin!

A love note from God

If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” your love, God, took hold and held me fast. (Psalm 94:17-18) 

Stop for a moment today to consider what God 'journals' about you and I in his book of remembrances. You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book. (Psalm 56:8) These might actually be love notes because each event or memory of his grace is really an acknowledgement of just how much he loves us. Any time we need to recount his love for us - we can just go to his Word - asking for him to open those journals of love notes. I wonder how many times God is right beside us and we don't even recognize him there? Yet, when we begin to stumble, we become so totally aware of his presence - by the strength of the arm that somehow catches hold of us and pulls us to safety once again.

I love you, God— you make me strong. God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout. (Psalm 18:1-2) Bedrock under our feet suggests we have reliable ground upon which we stand. A castle to live in speaks to me of the vastness of his love for us. The crag in the rocks is not only a place of hiding, but of secret growth - for the crag often has a growth all its own. But me he caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved! (Psalm 18:16-19) One of the most awesome parts of being loved is the ability of the other to keep the element of surprise in the relationship. This goes for God, too. He delights in surprising those he loves and calls his own. Delights in giving what we most need within the relationship - grace, peace, hope, and fulfillment.

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. (Psalm 23:6) Have you ever been pursued? If you have, you know the delight of the "chase". There is something else here, though. His "chasing" is continual - every day of our lives - he pursues us. Not just on some special holiday - but each and every day! The record of the chase might just be these very 'love journals' he keeps about each of us. For God’s Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out. He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God’s affectionate satisfaction. (Psalm 33:4-5) Life solid to the core - nothing about God's love is "out of place" or "misaligned". It is true "plumb"! We might engage in all manner of relationships with others on this earth, but no 'love' on this earth is quite as 'true' or 'plumb' as his. Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice. (Psalm 51:16-17) All we have to offer in this relationship is heart-shattered lives which are so earnestly seeking to know love and to be loved. It is this very heart condition which moves God's heart - capturing his attention, consuming his heart, and moving him to embrace us.

Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it! I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I’ll never quit telling the story of your love— how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives’ foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world. (Psalm 89:1-2) There is no greater love song than the song sung in heaven when a shattered heart is restored. There is no greater song heard in our own hearts than when God's fingers strum a melody of worship from within our lives. Love embraced soon becomes love expressed - never stop telling the story of his love because he never stops recording those 'love moments' in his book. The moments will quickly pass us by - in taking just the short moments to get into God's journal of love (his Word), we can be reminded of his deep and ever growing love for us! We have many love notes from God available in his Word - I wonder just how many love notes we have taken time to write back to him? Just askin!

A grateful servant

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. (Melody Beattie)

A synonym for gratitude is contentment. Ever try feeling thankful for something when all you want is something else? It is hard to be grateful when you are discontent with what you have already. It is much easier to be grateful when you have found great contentment in the much you already have received!

What can I give back to God for the blessings he’s poured out on me? I’ll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God! I’ll pray in the name of God; I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, and I’ll do it together with his people. When they arrive at the gates of death, God welcomes those who love him. Oh, God, here I am, your servant, your faithful servant: set me free for your service! I’m ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of God. I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, and I’ll do it in company with his people, In the place of worship, in God’s house, in Jerusalem, God’s city. Hallelujah! (Psalm 116:12-19)

God's blessings are actually innumerable. You could try to count them, but you'd forget more than a few along the way. No one is able to recount the magnitude of his blessings with accuracy - there are just too many! Even with all these blessings, it amazes me just how discontented we can become. We can do little in return for all these blessings, but we can develop a grateful and appreciative heart that actually 'learns' contentment. Yes, we have to learn it - it doesn't come naturally to us - we are always looking for more. As our psalmist points out, we can respond with right actions, a right heart, and a worshipful spirit. While this seems like very little in comparison to what we have been given, God finds great joy in this type of response to his many blessings!

Do you see the other response of a grateful heart in this passage? It is when our psalmist asks God to set him free so he may serve as God desires him to serve. Did you know it is actually a 'sign' of a grateful heart to be willing to serve another? To be in service for the King of Kings - being about whatever it is he asks you to do - this is one of the greatest ways we can show how grateful we are for all of his grace-blessings! It isn't service out of obligation, but service out of appreciation. Appreciation of the many blessings - of his grace, love, peace, and presence resident within us. Where is God asking for your service today? It could be he is asking you to reveal just how grateful you are for the many blessings he has already given and the many more that are still to come. Serve with a grateful heart and see how much this blesses God! Just sayin!

Yesterday versus Today

He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?” But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further. (Mark 6:1-6)

To form a perception beforehand as a result of previously held or known information is not always the smartest thing we can do in life. Some of us have a tendency to gravitate toward what we "know" about a person, forming an opinion of that person based on the small number of facts we have already ascertained, but neglecting to dig any deeper or try any harder to get to know much about them. The problem with this is the limitation in what it is we know about that individual. We likely have some facts, but we really don't get beyond those "facts" to consider the "rest of the story". Jesus found himself in that predicament on this day. He returns to his hometown - the folks who should know him best are all gathered around. He spends time teaching on the Sabbath - probably preaching a good lesson to boot. We even hear that he "made a real hit" with his friends and associates - impressing everyone who heard his teaching. Just as quickly as they were "impressed" by what they heard, they become just as "unimpressed" with him because they recount what it is they "know" about him. They belittle his ability to teach because he was merely a carpenter in their eyes - a commoner of the times, not a revered religious leader. The truth be told, we do the same type of 'belittling' of each other because we have limited knowledge of someone's past behavior, responses, or the like. They could be changed people today, but we continue to base our "impression" of them on what it is we "know" about their past.

What does this do? It causes us to "trip over what LITTLE we know" about the individual - never getting any further in the relationship. The issue is not the other person - it is us. We are the ones tripping and it is over what "little" we actually know. We base our judgments on a fraction of the evidence - what we immediately see. The term "preconceive" is really made up of two roots. "Pre" speaks to us of something occurring "before" or "prior to". "Conceive" speaks to us of "forming". We are "forming" opinions prior to getting the whole truth. We sometimes do this with ourselves! We look in the mirror, remember the old self, and forget about the many new "facets" of beauty God has already worked out in our lives. We see what our mind tells us to see. This is often true in our relationships with others - we see what our mind tells us we are seeing. If we have been hurt in the past, we find it difficult to not recall the hurt today. The part of this passage I want us to see this morning is the "little" they knew about Jesus and how this "little" caused them to not be able to get beyond that point. They knew "of" his family. They knew "of" his past job - a carpenter. They knew "of" his upbringing - under Mary's watchful eye. Yet, they really did not know Jesus - the Son of God.

What we find when we look deeper than what we know "of" somebody's background, reputation, or past performance might actually surprise us. If we get beyond that immediate knowledge, we might actually find ourselves face-to-face with someone who really blesses our lives. When we focus on what know of an individual, we are linking what we perceive with the actual identity of the individual. Identity is an evolving thing - we come from certain backgrounds, but we are always evolving as we are exposed to new things. Sure, we have the background of those things we are known for - our reputation does indeed precede us. Yet, if we begin to allow Jesus to be our mirror instead of that shiny piece of glass in our bathroom, I wonder how differently we might just see ourselves and others. When we allow Jesus to reflect back what he sees in us and those around us, we might just find the "little" we know "of" another is really not how that individual is today. It would be a shame to stop at what we know "of" an individual and ourselves when what we are today is not the same as what we were then! Just sayin!

Put down to pick up

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. (Proverbs 2:5-6)

Are you someone who is always musing over this plan or the next, not really able to let go of the reins? I think there are more of us out there than we'd like to admit! We spend our energies ruminating on the stuff we'd do well to let go of while we don't quite spend enough time or energies on getting the clarity of heart, emotions, and mind we so desperately need. When we are constantly trying to "work the plan", we don't take time to actually find out of the plan needs any "alteration" as God sees it! In scripture we find all kinds of people who have tried to figure out the plan for their "needed fix" all on their own. The same result is apparent - they fail miserably! Look at Adam and Eve. Plan A was to listen to God's plan - stay away from three of Good & Evil. Plan B was to just have a bite of the fruit of that tree. Plan C was to deal with the shame and guilt of having veered from Plan A! Judas Iscariot found himself in quite a fix when he decided money and popularity was more important than loyalty and love. To his dismay, what he found was neither money nor popularity soothed the heart, nor did it set the mind at rest. His fix for his fix? A tree and a rope! Not the best fix, if you ask me.

The command to us is to trust God and stop trying to fix your fix on our own. You have probably heard the old quote from John Steinbeck, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray." This is so true! If you were ever assigned this book in school, you will recall the story of two migrant workers, constantly on the move during the Great Depression - constantly on the move, always just marginally escaping the next great fate, until one day, the "plan" just doesn't work anymore. Steinbeck tells it well - we can fix our fix only so well, then one day we find our fix is no longer fixable! Our plans might promote the idea of planning for the unknown, but do we really "know" what cannot be known? The key to our learning to rely upon the "right" fix for our fix is in learning which voices we will listen to. Adam and Eve chose to listen to the intriguing voice of desire and want. Job chose to listen to the consoling and corroborating voices of his companions. Judas Iscariot chose to listen to the voice of deception. Most of the "fixes" we find ourselves trying to fix are just because we listen to the wrong "voices". Listen to God's voice - the still small voice of God. No other "voice" will ring as true, give as much clarity, or unfold the course before us as will his. How do we become proficient in listening to his voice?

First, I think we have to read what our writer has just said - stop all the "figuring" on your own - learn to trust God with the details. These two verses actually work together. As we come to a place of being open to God, we find it also includes us shutting down the planning we constantly do in our minds. I am not suggesting we become empty-headed, unthinking creatures. Far from it - but we don't have to work out all the details on our own. God's desire is for us to bring the plan to him, lay it all out before him, then listen carefully to the many ways in which he speaks to us about those plans. In laying out our plan before the one who directs our steps and keeps us on track, we are actually allowing the alterations in the plans, but only if we are open to hearing about those "alterations". These "alterations" are pointed out as we read God's Word, hear a few lines from a song, or perhaps listen to the wisdom of a good biblical teacher. In hearing, we open up to the "change in plans" which will get us and keep us on course. Adam and Eve "heard" God's voice in the garden - not seeking to punish them, but seeking to bring them into a place of restoration. Job "heard" God's voice, not in the counsel of these friends, but in the talking out of his circumstances with none other than God himself. Judas Iscariot probably never did get to the place of listening to God's voice - for the voice of deception took him all the way to the end of his life. Sad thing indeed.

We have to lay down our "fix" in order to really embrace the right "fix for our fix". When I have broken a piece of ceramic, I can try to put all the pieces back together, seeing how they all "fit", but until I put them down, seeking the "glue" which will bind them together again, I cannot ever hope the pieces will come together. It is in putting down the pieces that I find the "fix" which will bring the pieces into right alignment again. God's plan is for us to lay down our lives - all the best laid plans - in order to see how he designed the pieces to fit. In laying them down, we are free to embrace how he desires to connect them together. Just sayin!

Time to Listen

I am God, the one and only. I don’t just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. I never told Jacob, ‘Seek me in emptiness, in dark nothingness.’ I am God. I work out in the open, saying what’s right, setting things right. So gather around, come on in, all you refugees and castoffs. They don’t seem to know much, do they—those who carry around their no-god blocks of wood, praying for help to a dead stick? So tell me what you think. Look at the evidence. Put your heads together. Make your case. Who told you, and a long time ago, what’s going on here? Who made sense of things for you? Wasn’t I the one? God? It had to be me. I’m the only God there is—the only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped—saved!—everyone, whoever and wherever you are. (Isaiah 45:18-22)

In these words, God opens dialogue with his people - God, Creator of the heavens—he is, we need to remember, first and foremost God. Maker of earth—he put it on its foundations, built it from scratch. He didn’t go to all that trouble to just leave it empty, nothing in it. He made it to be lived in. These words speak of the "creative" potential in the Word of God. As we "remember" he is God, we are to never forget he has a purpose in all he creates - all he brings together is for his specific purpose. Nothing stands void or desolate before him - for he creates NOTHING for the purpose of leaving it empty and desolate - and that includes each of us! If we are to understand the personal potential in God's Word, we have to allow it to have its way within us. 

Hear what God says next: I don't talk to myself or mumble under my breath! Now, this may not seem like much to you at first, but read it again. God doesn't speak to himself, but to us. He doesn't mince his words, or conceal them so only a few will be able to hear - he speaks plainly and in directness to our hearts. His words are powerful - filled with meaning and creative power. It behooves us to take time to listen when he speaks. I have heard it said, "God gets right to the point." It is so true! He doesn't need a whole lot of "fluff" in order to lure us in so we might actually come to a place of listening to him - he gets at it directly! We would do well to listen as "directly" as he speaks!

* He never asks us to seek in emptiness or stumble around in dark nothingness. Instead, he invites us into the richness of his presence - through the revelation of his word. There, we find the light that brings everything into openness - nothing hidden from the penetration of his light. God works out in the open, but he is always seeking the hidden places. The "operation" of God in our lives is definitely not COVERT. They are not disguised as one thing in order to accomplish something else - he is direct. Perhaps this is why we struggle so much with his work in our lives. No place the Word is allowed to touch ever remains the same - it is like a key unlocking the toughest locked places.

* His Word sets things right. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. (Genesis 1:1) Out of what others see as "nothingness" - he sees vast possibility. Out of what some have marked out as bottomless emptiness - God saw the potential of his power filling to overflowing. Out of what has been cast into the utter darkness of despair and hopelessness - he breaks through with light. Yep, his Word sets things right! God has a special affinity for the refugee and cast off in this world. The one fleeing from dangers real or perceived finds no better resting place than in his arms. The one who has been rejected by all others finds no other place of acceptance more perfect than in his arms. His Word is filled with stories of refugee and cast offs being embraced. His Word is the starting point for all who would see a place of asylum - an inviolable refuge.

* He challenges us to consider ALL the evidence. God never asks us to make decisions based on only scraps of evidence - he gives us the whole deal in his Word. In examining the entirety of its contents, the revelation we receive becomes convincing evidence of the "rightness" of our God and the "soundness" of his purposes in our lives. God's purpose in giving us his Word is not to confuse us more, or keep us from enjoying him fully. If we stumble upon some portion we cannot comprehend fully, there is only one way to come into understanding - ask him to open it to us. He is the one to make sense of even the hardest stuff we are challenged with in our understanding - both in his Word, and in life. It is in turning to him we are helped. It is in acknowledging the vastness of the nothingness we have been consumed by that we begin to see the possibility of God creating newness and purpose. It is in expressing just how empty our heart and mind is without him that we come into a place of being filled. It is in welcoming light that darkness is dispelled. All this is possible, not in seeking any amount of self-help or religious pursuit - for all of these are nothing more than "wooden-gods" we might seek. All this is possible only when the Word gets into us and we into it. Just sayin!

Decluttering time

Day to Day obligations can be many and they can be very distracting when they are given the chance to disturb our peace, interrupt our focus, or bring havoc in their disordered presence. It is easy to be absorbed in all the stuff that comes at us in rapid fire succession. It is harder to stay on track with the things we know God is asking us to do, but whenever we let the day-to-day stuff distract us, we might just miss what God is doing for us.

But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! (Romans 13:11-12)

Preoccupation is another word for absorbed. It is easy to understand how our preoccupations can actually tire us. We can become consumed by the things that fascinate us and easily engage our attention. In short order, our energies have been put into the things that distracted us from the things that really matter. The danger in preoccupation is that we lose sight - in other words, we get 'out of focus'. The thing God is doing around us is totally missed. What a shame it is for us to be out of step with God. My friends, it is time for us to 'be up and awake to what God is doing', but do we even realize we are 'up', but not 'awake' to his actions? It is one thing to be awake - another to be aware.

Preoccupation doesn't affect us being awake as much as it affects us being aware. Awareness indicates there is a mindfulness and receptiveness in our actions. Mindfulness begins by putting aside thoughts that only serve to clutter up our thought life. You know which ones those are because they have the ability to rap you up in all manners of worries and cares way beyond your ability to carry them. This is why scripture reminds us to take every thought captive - mindfulness is cultivated - it doesn't happen by accident. Receptive minds and hearts are a result of getting in tune with what God is doing around us. Today carries many distractions, but we can choose to ignore them and pay closer attention to the things he is doing, telling us, and asking us to do. Engagement isn't possible when there is so much clutter that we find focus hard. If focus is hard today, perhaps it is time to declutter a bit. Just sayin!

So, that's why

Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there. Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)

Back in the day, I used to be quite a 'rule-follower'. As a matter of fact, my friends used to make a bit of fun with me because they knew I would not do some things they might feel was okay. They would ask me why I didn't want to do some things and I'd simply answer, "I am not supposed to..." That is kind of a lame answer - I admit it now. The truth is that I rarely understood the reason behind some of the rules I lived by, but I knew i wasn't supposed to break them. The only problem with living this way is that 'blind obedience' is that one is blind to the reason or rationale for the actions they are taking. They just know they aren't supposed to do this or that, but there is no connection between the rule and the one who made the rule. Christianity may have some 'rules' - like the 10 commandments - but it is the connection to the living Savior that makes all the rule-keeping make sense.

God's intent is that we come to know his personal presence with us - not that we keep all the rules. It is this personal relationship that actually allows us to make sense of the rules - the commandments that are meant to keep us safe. We are truly free to live 'within' the rules, but don't have to be so intent on making sure we don't break one. We actually have the power to stay within the lines - we don't find as much issue with the lines because we begin to understand they are there for our protection. God's intent is for us to come into close personal relationship with him. It is this 'closeness' that helps us realize the rules pointed to a truth we didn't otherwise see: God's grace through his Son, Jesus Christ. Why is it important for us to understand grace? We are all rule-breakers and we NEED his grace more than we really want to admit!

The 'lines' we are always trying to not 'color outside of' now point us toward a transformational way of living. Instead of seeing the 'rules' as constricting, we see them as revealing bits and pieces of how God's presence with us actually makes us more alive and more aware of our world around us. Our lives are filling with light - the light of God. This light is actually what helps us see the 'why' behind the rules - we begin to appreciate the dangers the world's darkness actually hides from us until we have the light to illuminate why we want to stay 'within the lines'. God's rules aren't restrictive where there is light to illuminate where the lines actually keep us in a place of safety! Just sayin!

Squander less....embrace more

What difference does a day make? To some, a day is an eternity because they are never really confident they will see another. To others, a day seems like an eternity because they are waiting with a degree of impatience for something big to happen they have been dreaming about for quite some time. To God, a day is something like a fraction of a second to us - hard for us to imagine, beyond our comprehending. Every moment matters. Today's seconds may slip away from us unnoticed if we are not careful, but with God, not one of those miliseconds are ever missed.

“So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don’t squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day’s work. When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God’s good pleasure. But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul; when you reject me, you’re flirting with death.” Proverbs 8:32-36

Mark a life of discipline and live wisely. This says it all - make right choices, stay focused on the right stuff, and be attentive to the right things. There is much to be said about focus, but attention is what I'd like us to consider for just a moment or two. You see, attention is waning at best. We might say we have dedicated our attention to some pursuit or passion, but even the most dedicated and committed of individuals will waver in their commitment to the object of their attention.

Why do we want to be aware of where our attention is 'weak' or 'wandering'? It is because we will end up squandering the moments. Moments that will all add up in the end as more than we ever imagined. Don't believe me? Your moments right now are directed toward reading this blog, but in just a few more moments, where will your attention be directed? I just caused you to focus your attention on something else just a little bit further down the road, didn't I? See how easily our attention is distracted, or redirected? No wonder God reminds us not to squander our moments with him. 

When we want to make the most of our days, we start them well. In other words, we start them with our attention directed toward God, what he wants to do in and through us today, and what he wants us to understand or see. The truth of the matter -  it is much easier to end well when we begin well! Our focus is not going to remain consistent throughout the day, but we can begin it well and allow those moments of redirection to occur as God would call upon us to refocus throughout the day. In the end, we will squander less and be rewarded with even more than we counted on receiving! Just sayin!

The image you see

Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.  (Matthew 23:11-12)

If I use BOLD or red font in my post, I am doing so because I want those particular words to "stand out".  If I were to parade down the sidewalk wearing all black, emblazoned with all kinds of chains and tattoos would you think I might be trying to "stand out" a little from the gal or guy next to me?  When a company wants to gain the market share of business, they spend a whole lot of money on trying to find the "brand" which will make them "stand out" as the one to trust.  The purpose of "standing out" is usually to call attention to, think of first and foremost, be the "go to" in your life.  Jesus tells his disciples something entirely different about being the "go to" in life - "standing out" really being a result of "stepping down". Most of us may not come right out and say it, but we hope our life will count for something when it is all said and done.  We want some type of legacy to leave.  In fact, most of us will say we want to be "known" a certain way right here and now, not just when we are gone from this earth. Sometimes we talk a good talk, but we really do not live as we talk.  You have probably heard the expression, "Walk the talk, and talk the walk".  I think this is the thing Jesus is pointing out - there was a whole lot of talk, but the walk was missing.

These religious leaders were trying to act as some kind of "expert" over the lives of those who were "under" them in the community.  In those days, the scholars were the "elite" - they exercised the authority over the others in the community.  Jesus cautions against allowing any man to rise to this level - as there is really only one who deserves this position in our lives and it is God himself.  I think Jesus was probably going all the way back to the Law of Moses and point out one of those Ten Commandments that referred to us having no other gods but God.  Don't think for a moment that the religious posturing of these leaders didn't capture the notice of Jesus - he was all over their appearance of godliness without the heart evidence to "back up" their claims. In contrast, Jesus tells us if we want to "stand out" we need to actually "step down". We find strength only as we come to a place of admitting our weakness.  See this similar connection between "simplicity and plenty".  When we are willing to live in simplicity (sincerity), we come into a place of plenty (fullness and abundance).  Jesus points out the beauty of being ourselves.  To some, this might seem a little overwhelming at first because we don't really "trust" what we "are" as of worth or value.  So, standing out as our genuine selves is a little overwhelming.

The moment we begin to trust Jesus with who we are (the real us), there is liberty that begins to set us free to come into a place of abundance.  We may not be able to trust others with our "real self" at first, but when we find the ability to get real with Jesus and see he doesn't love us any less for who we really are, the easier it becomes to begin to live as our "real selves" out in the open.  We don't need the "masks" of religious pursuit to hide behind - it is okay to be genuine.  Too many times, people are turned off by the masks of religious people.  They see the pretense, but not the reality of it lived out.  What is talked is not walked.  Jesus says we begin to exercise the greatest influence over others not in the pursuit of the religious "stuff", but in the simplicity of our genuineness of character. Seems contrary to what we see modeled around us, huh?  People "campaign" for the spot of recognition - whether it is a political race, or the attempt of a company to get their brand noticed most as the one this world needs.  All this really does is get a name out there - if the "product" doesn't live up to the expectations of the one "buying into" it, the word on the street soon turns to an account of how disappointing the reality of the "product" was.  The truth is, we learn to trust what is real or genuine.  We learn to distrust what is nothing more than posturing or pretense.  Maybe this is why Jesus focuses so much on the internal character of a man.  He was always pointing to the idea of what is on the inside being evident in what comes out of a man. Wanna stand out - then stand down.  Be genuine.  Get real with yourself, then with God.  In so doing, you will begin to speak volumes beyond whatever posturing you could do to present any other image to the world!  Just sayin!

Are you asking for the right stuff?

That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! (Ephesians 1:18)

I ask... These are powerful words. Ask God for something and you are sure to see some form of action on his part. It may be to open a door, while closing another. Asking is done with the intention of receiving something, right? there are three things we can ask for and actually should continually ask for in our lives. To be made discerning, to have focus, and to really begin to grasp the immensity of God's work in our lives.

To be made intelligent and discerning is the beginning prayer. Why? We all need even emotions that don't act against us as we navigate through life. We need stability in our minds so our actions are faith based and not impulsive. How do we gain this type of , "Intelligence"? We ask and then we continually focus on maintaining a very close and personal relationship with him.

Focused and clear eyes are really a result of the first prayer. As we enter into his presence, we begin to surrender to his love and care, allowing him to create a clarity of focus and intent. How many times do we lack direction and just drift without any particular focus? More than we may want to admit! As hard as it is to admit we don't possess clarity, it is unwise for us to move forward without it.

Asking indicates we expect to receive. A child doesn't just dream...he asks. Why? He desires to know...seeks something outside of his grasp...or hungers for what brings enjoyment. Why would it be any different in our relationship with our heavenly Father? We ask...expecting to receive. Ask to have your relationship enlarged with him and you will never be disappointed by what happens next! Just sayin!

A pressure cooker of emotions

 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.  (I Peter 5:8-9)

How hard is it to keep a cool head? At times, there are words shared that make it a little more than difficult to keep your cool. Attitudes begin to grate on each other and the emotions we muster are more likely to build up pressures that will eventually need a release. I think this is the most dangerous time in a person's life because we don't always do a great job releasing the pressure in a positive manner. We want to respond well, but we let words divide rather than heal. Stay alert...pressure is coming, but you don't need to let that pressure define a wrong path with your words, actions, and attitude.

The thing we may miss in this passage is the fact we are not in this struggle to not allow pressures to build all alone. It is a common struggle for all of us. What happens when we demand the last word? Most of the time the pressure is building and we allow a release that is quite damaging to either us, the other guy, or others not even involved but close enough at the moment to be in the path of that release. God needs the last word...period. When we begin to ask God to let us step aside and allow him to take over, we begin to see a release to the pressures that doesn't end in damage.

As I write this today, I am enjoying a week away in the mountains. Do you know the prayer I began this week with? "God, govern my words, responses, attitudes, and emotions. Let me be a blessing wherever we go and in whatever we do." Why do I pray these words? God needs the last word in my life. He needs to help me see need, hear the words spoken, know when a response is mine to give, and how to stay still when no action is required from me. Do I just pray this when away on holiday? Nope, it is a daily thing. Why? Without his presence working in me my pressure cooker of emotions would be my undoing. How about you? Are pressures mounting way too often? Stay alert...let God get the last word by giving him those pressures rather than continuing to allow them to build. You are much more likely to heal wounds that way......not create new ones. Just sayin!

The means and location matter

So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! (Romans 8:12-14)

Burial is the act of placing something dead into the ground. The remains have no further use - so we bury them. We need to seriously consider some of the "stuff" we actually might do well burying! There are customs of burial dating back something like 130,000 years ago, so this idea of "burying" the dead has quite a long history. One of the reasons some think burial came about was to attempt to bring "closure". It was a way of bringing an end to something. There is more to this burial thing than just the placing of someone's physical remains into a tomb or a grave. In fact, we might just find something of value in considering just what gets buried and why! We bury a whole lot of "stuff" in life. Some of us bury past hurts - trying to accomplish some type of closure to the events which have caused us such pain. The problem with burying these hurts is the "decay" they cause in their "place of burial". Others of us try to bury our failures and faults - hoping they will live unnoticed, but somehow they just keep "coming back to haunt us". There are times when we "bury" the emotional stuff we just cannot deal with right now because it is not a convenient time - but even buried emotions surface, coming back at the most inopportune times.

What we fail to recognize is the way and the where we "bury" things determines if the closure will be permanent. When we just "put things under the surface" in our lives, we might conceal them for a while, but it is more like creating a "time capsule" rather than a final disconnection with these things. Time capsules are created for the purpose of "revisiting" the items in them, are they not? They are a means of "connection" in the future with what we put there in the present. The sad thing is - we want disconnection with these things, but we deal with them in the wrong way. I think the idea of "burial" is a good illustration of how God wants us to deal with our past hurts, our present sins, and our emotional upsets. If we don't understand the principles of "burial" as he taught them, we might just be burying them in such a way that actually affords us unnecessary issues in return. If a human body is buried too near the surface, what happens with the first really good rain? Isn't it exposed again? If the human body is buried too near a source of some other resource, such as a water supply, will its decay not cause some contamination of the resource? I think the "manner" and "place" of burial is important because burial for the sake of dealing with stuff that gives us problems requires expertise we don't possess!

The "manner" and "place" in which God asks us to deal with the things that need "closure" in our lives is to take them to him and lay them at his feet. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but we don't always think something "buried out in the open" like that will work. We try our own methods of burial because they seem to at least "cover over" the thing we want closure with. The problem with this is things not dealt with out in the open often come back to cause us problems at a later time. Maybe this is why God asked his people to lay things on altars, lay hands on the sacrifices they offered, and leave them. There was always a connection and a way of showing the manner in which God deals with our "stuff" requiring closure. We put it right out there in the open - then he deals with it! The "place" God requires for burial is at his feet. If we really see the transformation which occurs on the altar, we might just reconsider our "perception" of God's methods of bringing closure. The thing on the altar is consumed - it is transformed - by the power of God. The burnt offering probably was no longer recognizable by its "features" any longer - it was transformed by the fire. God's means of dealing with our failures is not to point them out to us, but to ask us to place them on the altar, allowing him to alter them (transformation). In turn, there is closure to the influence of the failure on us - we are free to live anew. I think we might just give some thought to God's "manner" and "place" of burial in our lives. Just sayin!

It is an intersection

Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers wilt, God’s Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you. (1 Peter 1:24-25)

For the past few days we have been looking intently at God's Word - how it impacts our lives, changing us from the inside out. Today's passage contains another important aspect of God's Word that we don't want to overlook - the ability for God's Word to 'conceive' new life in us. Think for a moment about how 'conception' happens in the natural sense. Two completely separate objects intersect and within that intersection the two become one. This is what God has in mind when he tells us his Word will 'conceive' new life within us - our life intersects with his and when that happens, we become one with him. We assume his character - forsaking our pretty flawed one. We take on his attitude - laying aside our pity, worry, anger, and pride. The 'two becoming one' thing is pretty awesome, but remember - - - it takes an 'intersection'.

Most will assume an intersection is nothing more than a place where two cross paths - allowing for a direction change where appropriate. They wouldn't be wrong in that observation - any intersection with God's Word is designed to bring about a 'direction change' of some sort. We are not to read it casually, so as to be unaffected by the truth contained therein. We are to read it with intention, allowing it to 'intersect' our thoughts, emotions, and willfulness. Did you know 'intersect' is just a fancy word for 'separate'? God's Word is doing the work of separating us from those things we need to leave behind and allowing us to see the things he is creating within us that will make us stronger in the journey.

When scripture references the ability of God's Word to 'separate', we need to remember this: God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what. (Hebrews 4:12) We are being told his Word is meant to 'intersect' our lives right where we live - moment by moment, not just on Sundays. The 'separating' of the good from the bad doesn't happen just because we have a casual acquaintance with the Word. It happens because we take the Word in regularly and allow it to begin to fashion us into the 'new creation' that was conceived at the point of that 'intersection'. Today could be a very important 'intersection' in your life, but if you are to make the right choices at that 'intersection', you will need to know how God purposes for you to respond. As he stand at that intersection waiting for us to enter, he begins the work of separating us from those things we don't need to carry along - those things we might describes as 'bothersome'. All of God's words have the power to conceive - to separate truth from fiction, holy from impure, good from bad, and peace from chaos. Maybe we all could benefit from a little bit of God's intersections today. Just sayin!

Doubts and Defense Stand No Chance

 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what. (Hebrews 4:12)

Doubt or defense - God's Word cuts through it like a hot knife on cool butter! Think about doubt for a moment - it 'creeps in', doesn't it? Doubt may be instantaneous, but the really nagging and crippling kind of doubt may be the kind that 'creeps in', unnoticed at first, but settling into our minds and hearts like a wicked virus. We don't usually wake up one day and determine to doubt everything we are thinking - doubt comes bit by bit, failure by failure, mistake by mistake. I remember trying to learn to make cookies like my mom made. I would put in all the ingredients, but they didn't turn out quite the same. My impatience, lack of desire to spend hour upon hour in the kitchen, and desire to eat rather than create those cookies made it all the harder! Did my doubt come all at once? No, as one cookie disaster resulted in another, I began to doubt my ability to be a good cookie maker! In time, I began to doubt I could ever 're-create' her luscious baking. We sometimes allow doubt to keep us from trusting we will ever accomplish what we know we are called to accomplish.

Little things creep in to cause us to doubt, yet these 'little things' all add up. The 'addition factor' actually is what God's Word is excellent at REDUCING and ELIMINATING. Our doubts 'add up' - one upon another - until they are gigantic. God's Word comes into our lives and in rather short order, those words begin to tackle the biggest piles of doubt, reducing them to rubble that can finally be discarded. How? The Word of God actually has this way of helping us to listen and then to obey. We begin to listen to reason rather than chance. We begin to obey the 'directions' laid out and begin to see change. When I finally buckled down and followed the directions mom had taken such pain-staking time to write out on those recipe cards, those cookies began to turn out a little better each time! God's Word REDUCES doubt into bite-sized pieces - the size we can begin to challenge and overcome. His Word ELIMINATES what remains once we begin to obey what he tells us to do.

His Word is also useful for cutting through our huge defenses. Don't have any of those, you say? Let me assure you - we ALL have some 'defenses' we mount to ward off some form of 'invasion' we don't want to face. It might be our tendency to avoid certain topics in discussion, or our reluctance to address a problem because we see it as too far out of our league. Defenses go up to keep us from 'getting too close', or getting roped into involvement. God's Word cuts through those defenses - even the ones we don't know exist right now. If you have no real knowledge of the defenses you mount from time to time, ask him to show you where they exist. When he does, don't deny they exist - embrace his willingness to expose them so he can finally reduce them so we can begin to no longer hide behind them. God isn't afraid to cut open those walls so we can finally see the light they kept us from seeing all along. In fact, he relishes bringing light where dimness or darkness once existed. Just sayin!

A little truth goes a long way

There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Useful things are seldom discarded - we use them time and time again. If we begin to view scripture as something we can 'discard' or 'disengage from' in our daily lives, we are in danger of losing one of the most secure and trustworthy things that can 'sculpt' our lives. I have mentioned in other posts that scripture is to be taken in its entirety - not weeding out some truths and latching onto others. All scripture was 'hand-prepared' by God himself - taking special note of what we'd need to hear in order to understand his love, grace, and peace. We cannot leave parts out and expect to comprehend his greatness - it just isn't possible. I will grant you, there are parts of scripture that are a little 'dry' - but even the 'dry' parts lend background to the messages we embrace from scripture.

Scripture reveals truth. When in doubt, or just needing to 'fact check' something you are thinking, there is no greater resource than the Word of God. Ponder a thought long enough and you will likely begin to think it truth - even when it is not! Take your 'ponderings' to God's Word and you will begin to see if there is a difference between the way God sees the matter and how you are seeing it at that moment. Probably more concerning to us is this issue of scripture exposing places in our lives where we are just being rebellious. It exposes wrong thought patterns as much as it exposes wrong behaviors. Many times we are quite happy to continue in our rebellion, so we avoid any scripture exposure in order to avoid exposure of our rebellion! How foolish of us to think we can escape God's Word - it has a way of burrowing into the hardest of hearts, intervening in wrong thought processes, and getting all 'up in our business' when we least expect it!

It is a warming thought to consider the 'restorative' power of scripture - helping us to recover from our mistakes. A whole lot of self-help books have been written over the years, but nothing beats a good intake of the Word of God to show us where our 'self' has the greatest need for 'help'. God isn't put off by our mistakes and he doesn't want us to dwell in the muddle we have made because of them. If we were to be honest, we don't want to dwell there, either! Scripture has a way of opening our hearts, freeing our minds, and creating peace once again. How? It drives us to confession - to expose our wrong-doing and wrong-thinking - opening us up to a new way of doing and thinking. We need this more than we may first admit - our mistakes taking us down roads of self-doubt, worry, and crazy imaginations that we cannot undo ourselves.

So, the next time you are considering if scripture is 'worth' taking the time to explore, consider these questions: 1) Have I been repeating my mistakes over and over again? 2) Am I sure what I have bought into in my thought life is really truth? 3) Are my anxieties because of my own thinking and doing? If you can answer yes to any of these, then consider this - truth can 'un-muddle' the mess we make of life quicker than anything we can do on our own. A little truth may just be what is needed to settle your thought life, renew your aching and anxious heart, and set you on course again, free of your past mistakes. Just sayin!

Kneel to Rise

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:7-10)

There is something quite amazing about the "knees-feet" connection. When you and I get down on our KNEES - humbly submitting ourselves to God - we find we are able to stand on our FEET much better than we ever could without this "connection". I don't spend a lot of times physically on my knees in prayer because of a knee injury I sustained at the age of 19 and a two knee replacement surgeries, but I do spend a fair amount of time in the place of prayer in my spirit. There is just something about getting "face-time" with God that makes our ability to stand much easier, isn't there? We all face struggles we as we go through life - things like wanting what we don't have, desiring to live just close enough to the edge to be on the "right" side, but able to flirt now and then with the "wrong" side! Now, don't get me wrong, I am not accusing - I am just reporting what I know to be true about myself on occasion! IF you might just perhaps struggle with similar things, then the truths in this passage may be important for you to latch onto, as well.

The challenge issued is one of "commitment" - are we willing to get serious enough in our pursuit of right-living to quit dabbling in sin? Whenever I have been half-hearted in any pursuit, like exercise, following my healthy diet regimen, or the like, I find I have to come to the place where I am willing to "get serious" again. If I don't, then I drift into a place it takes me a whole lot longer to get out of than it did to get into! The same is true with spiritual pursuits - a little "dabbling" in the stuff that puts us into places of shame, guilt and ill-feelings of all sorts will just make it harder to "get back" to the place we really need to be. The issued challenge: Get serious! The means to meeting the challenge: Surrender. Isn't this the "knees-feet" connection? When we finally "get serious" about what gives us the greatest heart-aches in life, we find ourselves needing more than just a fleeting experience. We need a connection that leaves the baggage behind and makes us able to rise to our feet strong and solid. The only place for this connection is at the feet of Jesus. Amazingly, it is in humbling ourselves we find ourselves lifted up again. Not in prideful vanity, but in the strength of a compassionate and loving God.

The knee-feet connection is the starting point for all change. It is in laying down something that our hands are free to take up something more valuable. If you were a child who carried a blanket or favorite stuffed animal around from place to place, you will probably associate with what I am about to say a little better. The day came when someone told you to lay it down, didn't it? The constant companion you had formed such a bond with held such significance to you. You received some "comfort" from having that constant companion. When you were told to lay it down, you likely resisted. Why? You could not imagine life without it! The first couple of naps without it might have been terrifying. The first few days without the consistency of that object may have left you feeling "naked" and kind of out on your own a little. Yet, in time, you learned to nap without it, felt less naked, and you learned there were other things to "embrace" in life beside the blanket or stuffed animal. You learned something we call the "put off-put on" dynamic. By putting off (laying down the blanket), you were able to put on something new. The same is true in our spiritual life. When we lay down something, we are opened to the new possibilities ahead. The knee-feet connection is the starting point - not the end! Not sure what knees-feet connection you may need to make today, but I trust in laying something down, you will find your hands (and heart) fully able to embraced exactly what you need to bring you to your feet strong and able in all respects! Just sayin!