I am starting a series today called "God's Gym". I wasn't sure if that is where I was supposed to be going, until I saw this interview. It speaks, specifically, to the problems we have within the church and why so many are disenchanted and are looking for something different.
Talk to you tomorrow!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Be Ye Holy....
This is one that I cannot take credit for. I received this illumination at a Men's Conference and it changed my life. It is a very simple way to help you accept who God is and how He feels about you and I. I wish that I could remember the name of the pastor that shared this truth with me.
He began his dissertation with the verse, "Be ye holy, for I am holy". Then he looked at every man in the room and said, "You all struggle with that don't you"? We nodded our heads and murmured amongst ourselves. He continued, "So did I, until very recently". He paused and said. "You all seemed shocked by that statement". He was right. We were. You see, this gentleman was a spiritual father. He was well established within the pastoral circles and very highly thought of among his peers.
So, he began the story of Moses. He spoke of how Moses was tending to his flock in the desert and noticed one of the sheep heading for the hills. Moses went looking for it and in his search, came upon a bush, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT (that is an important point that I will explain in a minute) that was burning, but was not consumed by the fire. Then, the bush started talking to Moses.
So, let's stop and review: So far, we have a talking bush that is on fire, but not being consumed by the fire.
The bush called Moses' name and Moses answered the bush. The bush said to Moses, "Remove your sandals for the place where you stand is holy ground". Got all that? Good, because there is going to be a quiz!
Question Number One: How on earth can a place, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, be considered holy ground?
Answer: Because the voice speaking from the bush was that of the Lord. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is has to be holy.
Question Number Two: When you gave your life to Christ, didn't you invite Him to come and reside in your heart?
Answer: Yes
Question Number Three: Well then, if the place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells has to be a holy place, why are you striving to be something that the presence of the Holy Spirit, that DWELLS IN YOU, has already completed in you?
Answer: ? (This would be a good time to go get that box of Kleenex you're gonna need for the bloody nose you are about to have. Go ahead. I'll wait)
Romans 8:29, 30 is a powerful passage. But it is written in the Past Perfected tense. That means the actions mentioned in the passage HAVE BEEN COMPLETED! Read it that way:
29. For those that God FOREKNEW, He also PREDESTINED to be CONFORMED to the likeness of His Son, that He [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He PREDESTINED, He also CALLED; those He CALLED, He also JUSTIFIED; those He JUSTIFIED, He also GLORIFIED.
Listen, I don't always FEEL conformed or glorified. As a matter of fact, if you read my post from yesterday, I feel unworthy and like failure. But, God's Word tells me to work diligently (without quitting; without giving up) to conform (gradually change the appearance of the outward presentation of) my life to what He says IS TRUE about me. It says that His mercies to me for my failures are new every morning. But, it also says something else...in Hebrews 11:6, it says that without faith, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. In other words, if you do not believe the things that God says are true about you, you cannot have or be those things! And the only way to learn to trust God is to get to know God. And the only way to get to know God is to spend time with Him. Yeah, just like you did when you were hitting on your spouse, before you got married or like you do now with that television or those video games. I have a love affair with my remote control, too! So, I ain't picking on you. I'm just saying...
Here is another piece of advice: when you DO find some time to spend with God....shut up. You have been talking about all you need from Him for as long as you have been begging (praying for you religious folks that I just offended)! All God asks us to do is show up and listen for that still, small voice. You cannot do that, if your lips (spiritual or otherwise) are moving. Relationship is two-way and I am certain that God has some things that He wants to get off of His chest. How much He loves you and the plans that He has for you are very important topics to God.
Here is the Father's Love Letter to you and you're welcome!
E
He began his dissertation with the verse, "Be ye holy, for I am holy". Then he looked at every man in the room and said, "You all struggle with that don't you"? We nodded our heads and murmured amongst ourselves. He continued, "So did I, until very recently". He paused and said. "You all seemed shocked by that statement". He was right. We were. You see, this gentleman was a spiritual father. He was well established within the pastoral circles and very highly thought of among his peers.
So, he began the story of Moses. He spoke of how Moses was tending to his flock in the desert and noticed one of the sheep heading for the hills. Moses went looking for it and in his search, came upon a bush, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT (that is an important point that I will explain in a minute) that was burning, but was not consumed by the fire. Then, the bush started talking to Moses.
So, let's stop and review: So far, we have a talking bush that is on fire, but not being consumed by the fire.
The bush called Moses' name and Moses answered the bush. The bush said to Moses, "Remove your sandals for the place where you stand is holy ground". Got all that? Good, because there is going to be a quiz!
Question Number One: How on earth can a place, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, be considered holy ground?
Answer: Because the voice speaking from the bush was that of the Lord. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is has to be holy.
Question Number Two: When you gave your life to Christ, didn't you invite Him to come and reside in your heart?
Answer: Yes
Question Number Three: Well then, if the place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells has to be a holy place, why are you striving to be something that the presence of the Holy Spirit, that DWELLS IN YOU, has already completed in you?
Answer: ? (This would be a good time to go get that box of Kleenex you're gonna need for the bloody nose you are about to have. Go ahead. I'll wait)
Romans 8:29, 30 is a powerful passage. But it is written in the Past Perfected tense. That means the actions mentioned in the passage HAVE BEEN COMPLETED! Read it that way:
29. For those that God FOREKNEW, He also PREDESTINED to be CONFORMED to the likeness of His Son, that He [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He PREDESTINED, He also CALLED; those He CALLED, He also JUSTIFIED; those He JUSTIFIED, He also GLORIFIED.
Listen, I don't always FEEL conformed or glorified. As a matter of fact, if you read my post from yesterday, I feel unworthy and like failure. But, God's Word tells me to work diligently (without quitting; without giving up) to conform (gradually change the appearance of the outward presentation of) my life to what He says IS TRUE about me. It says that His mercies to me for my failures are new every morning. But, it also says something else...in Hebrews 11:6, it says that without faith, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. In other words, if you do not believe the things that God says are true about you, you cannot have or be those things! And the only way to learn to trust God is to get to know God. And the only way to get to know God is to spend time with Him. Yeah, just like you did when you were hitting on your spouse, before you got married or like you do now with that television or those video games. I have a love affair with my remote control, too! So, I ain't picking on you. I'm just saying...
Here is another piece of advice: when you DO find some time to spend with God....shut up. You have been talking about all you need from Him for as long as you have been begging (praying for you religious folks that I just offended)! All God asks us to do is show up and listen for that still, small voice. You cannot do that, if your lips (spiritual or otherwise) are moving. Relationship is two-way and I am certain that God has some things that He wants to get off of His chest. How much He loves you and the plans that He has for you are very important topics to God.
Here is the Father's Love Letter to you and you're welcome!
E
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Heart That Forgives...
I KNEW today was going to be an ugly day. I went into my closet last night and picked out my best "Flesh" suit. I put it on. Did not know if I could still get into it. It fit like it was made just for me. Then, I began to do the very thing that I had been telling my girl she could not do. I arrived at a conclusion about what she did based upon my values and emotional filters. I was hurt and had no room to accept her heartfelt apology and, just as I warned her she did not have the ability to do, I told her what was really in her heart.
I Cor 2:11 says that I cannot know the heart of another person. That did not seem to be important to me at that very moment. The details are not important. There is no gray area here. I was wrong. I was reminded that I was wrong this morning. My intention was to write about something completely different. But, I was led to read a post I made here over two years ago. The title is Betrayal. It reminded me that satan's most effective weapon to use against me is my emotions.
Here is the bad news...Graduate level Forgiveness is a difficult course to pass. The MOST difficult one, as a matter of fact. It requires complete death of the Flesh. The excuse that God made me with emotions does not cut it in this course. Worse, it is graded on a "Pass or Fail" grading system. Thumbs up or thumbs down.
I failed miserably.
The good news is its that it is the last class! The final test to see if your character is refined enough in the fire of God's Love to possess (not just receive, but hold on to) those blessings that God has promised you. See, the Anointing will only take you to the Promised Land. Character (reflecting the Love of Christ) keeps you there. My tests results show that I would rather stand here and beat somebody up for making a mistake, because I felt wronged and humiliated, instead of giving the same undeserved quarter that God gave to me, through the Blood of His Son, and moving into my blessing.
Father, if there is any forgiveness left for me, I need it now. Not that my actions demonstrate that I really understand Forgiveness. Forgiveness is something that I receive more of, only as I give it away. Help me to not be selfish and hoard that which You have freely given to me.
But wait until after I go and empty out my closet!
I Cor 2:11 says that I cannot know the heart of another person. That did not seem to be important to me at that very moment. The details are not important. There is no gray area here. I was wrong. I was reminded that I was wrong this morning. My intention was to write about something completely different. But, I was led to read a post I made here over two years ago. The title is Betrayal. It reminded me that satan's most effective weapon to use against me is my emotions.
Here is the bad news...Graduate level Forgiveness is a difficult course to pass. The MOST difficult one, as a matter of fact. It requires complete death of the Flesh. The excuse that God made me with emotions does not cut it in this course. Worse, it is graded on a "Pass or Fail" grading system. Thumbs up or thumbs down.
I failed miserably.
The good news is its that it is the last class! The final test to see if your character is refined enough in the fire of God's Love to possess (not just receive, but hold on to) those blessings that God has promised you. See, the Anointing will only take you to the Promised Land. Character (reflecting the Love of Christ) keeps you there. My tests results show that I would rather stand here and beat somebody up for making a mistake, because I felt wronged and humiliated, instead of giving the same undeserved quarter that God gave to me, through the Blood of His Son, and moving into my blessing.
Father, if there is any forgiveness left for me, I need it now. Not that my actions demonstrate that I really understand Forgiveness. Forgiveness is something that I receive more of, only as I give it away. Help me to not be selfish and hoard that which You have freely given to me.
But wait until after I go and empty out my closet!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Once Upon a Time...
...in a land far, far, far, away, there lived a little boy who thought that he could do anything. It did not matter that he was sickly or that he could not do what all of the other children could do. He knew that he was here for a special purpose. It was a purpose that even he did not understand. And that, my friends, is where his problems began.
He did not understand.
That little boy was me and I owe an apology to any of you who were reading this blog and to God for not being obedient, because I did not understand. This is where you are going to have to stay with me. Years ago, when I started writing this blog, it was because I believe the Holy Spirit showed me that my blessing was going to come through this blog. I was faithful with this for a while. But, like we all do, I did not see the blessing happening and lost my faith and my focus. I was not consistent with my entries, because I was seeking God's Hand and not the Face of God. Matthew 6:33 tells me that if I make the Kingdom of God my primary focus, God will GIVE me all that I need from day to day.
Isaiah 55:8 states very clearly that God has an intellect and understanding that far exceeds my capability and therefore, far exceeds my ability to comprehend. Further, I Corinthians 2:11,12 tells me that I cannot know what God is thinking, unless His Spirit reveals it to me. In order for that to happen, I have to be in right relationship with Him.
And I have not done that. I confess this to God and to you and I ask for your forgiveness. I, also, am asking for your support. I ask for your participation and comments on topics that are on your heart for discussion and I ask for your friendship to hold me accountable to being faithful with my postings here. He has shown me why I need to share my heart here and I was overwhelmed by my failure. My call is to reach the spiritually dormant and dead. I am not here to beat you up for not spending time with our Father. I am here to encourage you that no matter where you are or however bad you think that you have screwed it up, He has His arms wide open, just waiting for you to come back, Prodigal Sons and Daughters!
You see, my God is the God of Do-Overs. He is the God of the Second, Third, (Four Hundred and Fifty Seven MILLIONTH) Chances. And He has an awful memory! Better yet, we are made in His image. So, forgiveness is not what we do. It is who we are. Matthew 6:14, 15 makes that overwhelmingly clear, brothers and sisters.
So, stop by and say hello sometimes. But, hold me accountable to that which God has called me to. Otherwise, like He did with Saul, He will find somebody else to bless.
Think about that for a minute. I will explain that first paragraph to you better in my next posting. See you on Facebook!
He did not understand.
That little boy was me and I owe an apology to any of you who were reading this blog and to God for not being obedient, because I did not understand. This is where you are going to have to stay with me. Years ago, when I started writing this blog, it was because I believe the Holy Spirit showed me that my blessing was going to come through this blog. I was faithful with this for a while. But, like we all do, I did not see the blessing happening and lost my faith and my focus. I was not consistent with my entries, because I was seeking God's Hand and not the Face of God. Matthew 6:33 tells me that if I make the Kingdom of God my primary focus, God will GIVE me all that I need from day to day.
Isaiah 55:8 states very clearly that God has an intellect and understanding that far exceeds my capability and therefore, far exceeds my ability to comprehend. Further, I Corinthians 2:11,12 tells me that I cannot know what God is thinking, unless His Spirit reveals it to me. In order for that to happen, I have to be in right relationship with Him.
And I have not done that. I confess this to God and to you and I ask for your forgiveness. I, also, am asking for your support. I ask for your participation and comments on topics that are on your heart for discussion and I ask for your friendship to hold me accountable to being faithful with my postings here. He has shown me why I need to share my heart here and I was overwhelmed by my failure. My call is to reach the spiritually dormant and dead. I am not here to beat you up for not spending time with our Father. I am here to encourage you that no matter where you are or however bad you think that you have screwed it up, He has His arms wide open, just waiting for you to come back, Prodigal Sons and Daughters!
You see, my God is the God of Do-Overs. He is the God of the Second, Third, (Four Hundred and Fifty Seven MILLIONTH) Chances. And He has an awful memory! Better yet, we are made in His image. So, forgiveness is not what we do. It is who we are. Matthew 6:14, 15 makes that overwhelmingly clear, brothers and sisters.
So, stop by and say hello sometimes. But, hold me accountable to that which God has called me to. Otherwise, like He did with Saul, He will find somebody else to bless.
Think about that for a minute. I will explain that first paragraph to you better in my next posting. See you on Facebook!
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