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Showing posts with the label Passion

Do I really want that?

It’s better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind. (Ecclesiastes 6:9) I enjoy a really good meal, quality time with a close friend, and hugs from my grandsons. I also enjoy rainy days, a good book, and a happy movie. You could probably make a list of things you enjoy, like a sporty car able to zip on down the road with wind blowing wistfully through your hair, or perhaps a long walk on the beach at sunset. Some of what we enjoy is because of where we are or what we possess - the car or beach make the occasion. For others, it is about who we are with that gives us the greatest enjoyment factor. The company I keep makes all the difference in how much I enjoy the moment! I am "single again" - meaning I was married but have been without a spouse since the divorce. These years have done more to "cement" my relationship with Jesus and brought me much enjoyment in the process! I am not advocat...

Life Hack #19: Be Not Pulled

Life Hack #19: It is part of our make-up to be drawn to that which pleases our senses, isn't it?  As little babies, we were fascinated with all things sparkly and bright colored. The slightest hint of gleam and we'd direct our attention toward the object. Smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread and your mouth begins to water for the enjoyment of savoring a warm slice lathered in rich butter. Hear the tender notes of some melody and your toes will start tapping with the beat. Our bodies respond to stimulus from without, but that response begins on the INSIDE of us in response to the thing we are "taking in" through one of our senses. Learning "temperance" is a difficult thing in this life, but if we don't exercise a little self-control over our "sensual intake", we will find ourselves in places we'd probably not like to be! Today's life hack is not about alcohol, but rather the 'appeal' of things to our senses and how w...

Time to get up

The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges—stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—remind me of you, and I’m spoiled for anyone else! Your beauty, within and without, is absolute, dear lover, close companion. (Song of Solomon 7:5-6) If you have ever been "in love", you might just understand this intense longing just to enjoy the "presence" of the one you love so dearly. When separation occurs - whether by choice or because of something out of your control - the longing builds. What many describe as "stirrings" for the presence of their loved one is really similar to how God feels about each of us - longing to just hold us close, gently stroking our backs with the tenderness of his hand, and then encompassing us with the warmth and protection of his full presence. How long has it been since you have experienced the "stirrings" in your heart for the presence of your "first love" - God himself? It could be we need to ...

God running this place?

There was one day when the Prophet Isaiah was speaking with the people, reporting on how Israel was finally at rest in the Promised Land, enjoying their feasts and festivals. There was worship in the land. They were finally 'settled' - no longer wandering hither and yon. The land was a blessing - providing for their needs in a great way. They were protected from attack - secure in their new homes. One of the best parts of the report was these words: "God runs this place and he'll keep us safe." When God is in control of our lives, we will be safe. If we take back that control, or just 'let it go' because we aren't paying attention, we will open the gates wide to disaster and destruction. Just take a look at Zion, will you? Centering our worship in festival feasts! Feast your eyes on Jerusalem, a quiet and permanent place to live. No more pulling up stakes and moving on, no more patched-together lean-tos. Instead, God! God majestic, God himself the plac...

Disturbed by a need

Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls. For My way of carrying a load is easy and My load is not heavy.” (Matthew 11:29-30) We all have moments when we see needs, but we have no clue how to meet them. Things upset us, these things are right there in our face, many times making us mad, sad, and desiring to see something different as a result of some action we may take. When we are disturbed on behalf of God, we are oftentimes moved in the most significant ways. We may even embrace a calling in life as a result of the burden we bear over the matters that upset us. When we are bothered by something - the need is right there before us - we are likely going to see God impact the lives of people IF we put ourselves out there. We don't have to have a formal position to meet a need if we possess a God-given passion over the need around us. We will make a difference if we follow the burden God places in our hearts. Seek Go...

Not ever gonna be a size five!

How lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God. Yes, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. (Psalm 84:1-4) We have all kinds of "longings", don't we? If the day just seem to drag on and on at work, we "long" to be home or out pursuing some other activity. If the laundry is piled high and the sun is shining, we long to be outside enjoying the weather, not scrubbing away yesterday's stains. If the traffic jam keeps us barely inching along, we long for another passenger in our car so we can take the high-occupancy lane! There are all kinds of "longings" ...

Desire is a step toward receiving

As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!” He touched their eyes and said, “ Become what you believe .” It happened. They saw. (Matthew 9:27-29) Become: arrive at; grow into; develop into. If someone were to walk up to you and tell you to "become what you believe", what would you become right here and now? What would you "grow into" or where would you "arrive at" in your life? This might be a very telling question for some of us. Most of us don't really have a plan for where we'd like to "arrive at" or what we truly would like to "grow into" in a spiritual sense, much less a physical or emotional sense. We simply live day by day, making the best of each moment, and wonder what the next will hold. I don't think God ...

Called to be

I once heard it said that our graveyards are full of potential – meaning there are lots and lots of us that find our ways to the grave without ever really fulfilling our full potential in Christ. I wonder just how often that has happened, but at the very end of life the one that is facing the grave really looks back and sees just how many wrong turns they took on their way. The way we take today makes all the difference in the way we will take tomorrow. We aren’t always assured of our tomorrow, are we? Some of us live as though our tomorrow was a guarantee – leaving things undone today that really need to be done now. We find our pursuits get sidetracked – all because something seemed too hard, another opportunity arose, or we just plain lost interest. The road to somewhere may be hard, windy, and even a little rutted by time. It doesn’t mean we don’t take it! We might find we are not surrounded by tons of others taking the same road, but it doesn’t mean it was the wrong road for us to...

Fan the Flames

What is the difference between passion and obligation? We can do a whole lot of stuff out of duty or obligation that we exhibit very little passion toward, right? I do the laundry and clean the toilets, but trust me on this one...there is very little 'passion' behind either of those obligations! When you have an obligation to do something, it is kind of tedious and you know it is because you are the one being held responsible to get it done. A job can be done out of obligation, done well, but lack any sense of really bringing fulfillment into our lives. I have a carpet shampooer and when the carpets get a little soiled looking, I schlep it out, move the furniture, and spend the next couple of hours filling the reservoir with clean water and cleaning solution, emptying the dirty water receptacle, and then cleaning everything up afterward. There is very little passion behind the cleaning frenzy, but the results are still good. I have clean carpets, pile freshly plumped, and the h...

Do I really want this?

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

You hungry?

Most of us want things to turn out 'all right' in life. We strive for this outcome - not really wanting to endure any type of failure at all. Why? Failure isn't comfortable - it costs us something - we don't always regroup after it very well. Have you ever been accused of taking life too seriously - of being 'too afraid' to fail? Guess what...when someone tells you that you take life seriously, they are actually paying you a high compliment! According to scripture, taking life seriously is something that will find you a great reward, significant honor, and integrity that stands the test of time. I have been told on more than one occasion that I am way too intense about life - I am not afraid to fail, but I like to think things through before I take that first step - making others think I am just a little bit scared of the next steps. I guess that it really doesn't bother me - in fact, rather than being put off by that insight, I want to continue to have that...

A tale of the fisherwoman

It seems a little 'counter' to patience to be passionate, doesn't it? When we think of patience, we probably think about the one who simply stands by waiting to see what will unfold, not losing hope, but being very, very calm, cool, and collected. I imagine being passionate as being a little more animated and less 'calm' - there is action involved in passion, so it doesn't always make me think of patience. Most of the time, we don't really equate waiting and passion as belonging together, but let me be a little bit revealing here - passion and patience make all the waiting worthwhile! I love to fish and let me just tell you that you cannot be any good at this without passion and patience! You must sit still for long times, often rethinking what you are using to attract those fish to your hook, and then know just the right time to snag that catch when they are nibbling on your bait. It is a skill learned in the waiting! Much of what we learn in life is learne...

Passion is part of waiting

God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up.  They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!  I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.  It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God.  It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.  When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence.  Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions.  Wait for hope to appear.  Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst.  Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return.  If he works severely, he also works tenderly.  His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.  He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.  (Lamentations 3:22-33 MSG) ...

Fire stoked?

If you have ever been "in love", you might just understand the longing for the "presence" of the one you love so dearly.  When separation occurs - whether by choice or because of something out of your control - the longing builds. Today, with so many men and women deployed into our battlefields, families are experiencing the tremendous loss of the presence of their loved ones. There is this anticipation of return which stirs the heart and keeps the embers of love alive within, but because of the uncertainty of their safety, there is also the fear that their loved one may not return at all.  What many describe as "stirrings" for the presence of their loved one is really similar to how God feels about each of us - longing to just hold us close, gently stroking our backs with the tenderness of his hand, and then encompassing us with the warmth and protection of his full presence.  How long has it been since you have experienced the "stirrings" in y...

Creativity at its best

Creative lives are productive lives.  When we stop to think about this, we find there is something quite powerful in creativity - we bring into existence something which would otherwise not really be there.  My daughter is exceptionally creative and has her own blog which is gaining more and more popularity all the time.  At her website, TheCraftedSparrow.com , her creativity is on display.  What amazes me most is when she is given opportunities to bless others with her creativity.  She is sponsored by many large businesses now, including The World Market.  She has done a couple of feature presentations for them, being asked to take some of their products and create a "blessing" for another person or family, the latest being their "Share The Joy" campaign.  As I read about their wonderful challenges to "gift" your creativity to another, I find it heartwarming to see we haven't lost this idea of using what we have to bless others.  This is what li...

Don't hide your zeal!

Zeal:  Enthusiastic diligence; eager desire; fervor.  There are two synonyms for this word - passion and intensity.  Anything which is done with great "fervor" is done with great intensity - there is a robustness to the action.  Maybe this is why God looks for a people who will have great zeal - he desires a robustness of relationship!   For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them].   Now who is there to hurt you if you are zealous followers of that which is good?  But even in case you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed (happy, to be envied). Do not dread or be afraid of their threats, nor be disturbed [by their opposition].  (I Peter 3:12-14 AMP) Thomas Fuller penned the words:  "Zeal wi...

What you got a hankering for?

Yearning: to have an interest or strong desire; longing; to be moved or attracted toward.  We have all kinds of "longings" don't we?  When the day just seem to drag on and on at work, we "long" to be home or out pursuing some other activity.  When the laundry is piled high and the sun is shining, we long to be outside enjoying the weather, not scrubbing away yesterday's stains.  When the traffic jam keeps us inching along, we long for another passenger in our car so we can take the high-occupancy lane!  All kinds of "yearnings", huh?  It is the process of "yearning" which actually gets us to take steps forward most of the time.  We just aren't satisfied with the way things are, so we move toward what or where we think things will be different.  For example, we sign up for the carpool club at work so we don't have to wait in the rush hour traffic, or we do a load of laundry here and there so the weekends are free of "househol...

Passion vs. Purpose

It is possible to have passion without having a purpose? It is possible to have a purpose without the corresponding passion? I think these are two pretty important questions – since these two character traits are often missing in our daily lives – at least according to most folks who just aren’t sure about what life has for them. Passion is any compelling or powerful emotion – it is a desire. Look at that again – it is an EMOTION. How many times have we heard we should not rely upon our emotions to be the driving force for the things we say and do in life? If you are like me, it has probably come up a few times a week! Purpose is the reason for which something exists, or the reason we do something. When there is purpose, there is a defined or intended result of the action. For many, purpose is what allows them to “aim” at something – passion is what drives them toward the mark. Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone, rolls virtue around on his tongue. His heart pumps God’s Wo...

In the cloak of darkness

1  There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.  2  After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” (John 3:1-2) The story of Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, one of the elite group known as Pharisees, came to Jesus "under the cloak of darkness".  His reasoning was probably pretty evident - the Pharisees did not like Jesus' teachings and he would be "called out" for his behavior in seeking Jesus out.  Jesus has just finished cleaning out the temple - throwing out all the money-changers and vendors who were making a living off of selling the offerings at the steps of the temple.  He had made several important statement that day in response to the Jews' question, "What credentials can you present to us?" Jesus' response was pretty vivid and every Jew within in hearing distance pr...

The best meal ever

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