05 November, 2007 - Thank You!
To all you folks, gifted with the talent of music; whether it be vocal, lyrics, instrumental, etc., thank you so much for your following God's will in your efforts. You can not go wrong when you listen to Him. Even though you gotta have a voice that is listenable, production quality that is acceptable, I think the lyrics and the message are paramount to your efforts.
By all accounts, Paul (Bible) was a scraggly little guy. His voice did not command anyone to listen to him. But when he preached the message of truth - people listened. As a contrast, Moses was a very intimidating man. His presence commanded your attention, but he was really kind of a wimp with his attitude. He really wondered why God chose him to deliver the chosen. Again, the message is what came through.
The only reason I am writing this is: I just listened to Dave Pettigrew's "I Will Follow". The lyrics that said,
I'm not looking for an answer
I'm not looking for a sign
I know that I can't see You but like a child's open mind
I believe, I believe, I believe with a faith that's blind
They really got me. So once again, I tell you all NEVER FORGET THE MESSAGE!!!!
Thanks Dave!
24 May, 2007 = Who Stays
God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who
you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.
Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know they may
be needing this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity
and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you.
Amen.
14 May, 2007 - Who will Say "Good Morning" To You?
As the divorce looms ominously in the future for me, I struggle with the normal stresses of whether to have a bologna or salami sandwich for supper. Also, a new fear has set in. We must understand the difference in the definition of lonely and lonesome. Lonely, is defined as; lone; solitary; without company; companionless. Lonesome, although similar in definition, is the depression and result of being lonely.
We need to remember that we do not need to suffer either. Some people have accustomed their lives to ignore the pains of life. They go on like nothing ever happened. Rather than reflect on a situation, think how THEY might help make it better, they stroll through life, doing whatever it is they do, and expect everyone else to "just deal with it".
But we do have control. With God and the Word, we do have choices to make. We can choose to ignore our effect on others, blaming everyone else for our problems, or not. We can say, "I would not be like this if they had not ...". Or, we can choose to take the responsible role and ask ourselves, "What could I have done to help make this situation better? Even though I do not understand the pain and anger that another person has, how can I be like Jesus to them?"
Life is a struggle and full of choices. We can choose to be lonely, resulting in lonesome, or we can take charge of our lives and confront situations head on, with God as out leader. We can be Jesus "to the least of these". Rather than withdraw, and feel sorry for ourselves, we can strike out forward. With the armor of the God's truth, we can fight any battle. encounter any foe, come back to life without the loneliness of our actions.
I pray today, that God show me his will. Provide me with the wisdom to understand what must be done today. I pray that I approach the battles of earthly life, with the confidence and love that Christ showed.
06 May, 2007 - Stress Revisited
It has been rather stressful the last week or so, both personally and at work. I need to write a little here to praise the LORD for His support and guidance through it all. I am listening to Jeremy Camp's - Give Me Jesus. What truth and inspiration there is in those words. Camp says, 'You can have all the world, just give me Jesus'.
When others continue to hurt you, even when they have no clue, give me Jesus. When they continue their ways and have no desire to see what they are doing to you - excusing their behavior on your actions, give me Jesus. When others play victim, as they have done all their life, and refuse to see that their ways are hurtful, give me Jesus.
I am not going to burden this blog with details, but thank you LORD for your compassion and direction. Thank you for helping me not to respond to situations with anger and reciprocation. Thank you for helping me - not say anything - if I can't respond like Jesus. Thank you for helping me know when to be still.
You tell us in Isaiah 30, ""In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength". I pray that you continue your work in me to not respond to what others do in a hurtful manner. Even when their actions continue.
In you, I can overcome anything. More than I could ever endure by myself, on this earth. When I die, give me Jesus.
26 April, 2007 - Mothers
My Mother is such a blessing and spiritual motivator. Whether she knows it or not, she is the best minister of God's love that I know. It is truth that no one is perfect. God does not expect us to be. But this woman is about as close to God as anyone I know. I thank God every day for her.
She has been very sick recently, and is now recovering. Through this, I realized that I could not deal very well with the thought of losing her. Even though she lives near the beautiful mountains of Colorado, and I live in Missouri, I miss the day that I do not have some contact with her. E-mail is a wonderful thing.
Mom, you are the most important woman in my life. May the Grace of our King Jesus, be with you forever. There have been some hard times. But through it all, we cry out to Jesus, and he puts us back together. You are proof of that. God is our shelter. He rescues us constantly. Your unfaltering love for all of us, is proof of the fact that, the best part of love and grace is sharing it with others.
Happy Mother's Day!
18 April, 2007 - Everlasting Place
Nikki Leonti sings a song called "Everlasting Place". It is a beautiful, inspirational song about the promise of forgiveness.
If it's hurting you
Choices that you've made
Regret is your companion
Just lift your eyes and pray
He'll receive you now
You are not abandoned
I don't care about
Things you used to do
Cause I see better days
Are waiting there for you
The Bible repeatedly talks about forgiveness and repentance. Don't you wish it was that easy? It is, when we allow it to. In the flesh we attempt to hold on to what we understand. We don't understand God, but we do understand pain. Pain is relevant, it is now, it is real; but so is the eternal promise of our Lord, through Jesus Christ.
We struggle, we attempt to understand, we try to analyze and comprehend. All of this is good, in order for us to learn lessons and prevent the pain from happening again. However, we tend to overlook the most powerful lesson of all. Whether we are hurt by another; or through our own choices, we are the ones causing the pain, Jesus Christ sacrificed it all on the cross, so that we do not need to "wear our pain like badges on our arm".
The eyes of God are upon us. We pray for God to help us let it go. We do not need to burden our self with the pain. But how is it that we are to forgive someone else who constantly hurts us? How many cheeks must we turn? We try to stay, forgive and move on. But it hurts too much.
15 April, 2007 - A Voice From Home
"When life gets tough, the tough get going."
Is well and good. It inspires the fringes.
We hope and we pray, we try and we stay. But...
Sometimes you need a voice from home
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
When sadness and pain, disappointments abound,
And being tough and getting going can't be done,
There is no hope inside. You hunger for a loving tone
But it's not there. You thirst for a voice from home.
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
You need not be tough, you need not get going.
The voice from home is constantly calling.
It is clear and resounding. The love is abounding.
That simple voice from home
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
You are my child; I love you.
You are mine; I have chosen you.
I will glorify My Name through you.
10 April, 2007 - Be Careful What You Pray For
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
God knows everything about you. He knows every nook and cranny of that dark closet that you have buried your very secret of secrets. He knows all about those things. By praying that He will search your heart, you should know that He already knows. There is nothing hidden from Him. By asking God to search those cracks and crevices of your soul, you are submitting to His omnipresence and omnipotence. The outcome is that through his Son, Jesus, He can and will cleanse those scourges. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing.
The question now is, can you forgive yourself? Ask God to help you with that too. Take a load off, pray now, that He search you, test you, and know your anxious thoughts. Ask that He cleanse your offensive ways. The only result is everlasting life.
07 April, 2007 - Love of Music
One of the many reasons that I love music, especially Christian music, is that I could never put into words, what other people do. Some are blessed with the skill of writing, touching, encouraging, and praising our Lord with music. I listened to Soul2Soul journal. They were interviewing Echoing Angels. It was a compelling interview. Just 5 guys from northern Georgia, trying their best, to do God's will. Do they always succeed? Not hardly. Are they always on the right track? No, again. They just do their best, knowing that God is there to bring them back to life when they stray.
Have you ever just wished that someone would tell you that "it's all right. It will be ok? There is someone to do that. Look at some of the lyrics, from "You Alone", by Echoing Angels.
Desperately wanting to just find a way
Searching and seeking for someone to say
That its all right and its ok
Like I know you can
That its all right and its ok
Like I know you can
I close my eyes
And I drift away
To a place I remember
To a place I feel safe
Where its all right and its ok
Cause I'm there in your arms
Where its all right and its ok
Cause I'm there in your arms
One of the many mistakes we make is, trying to find this peace in the flesh of others. Only God can give you the internal peace that you are in such desperation to find. Take a moment right now. Close your eyes, go to that place of peace that is in all of us. Praise Him, Hallelujah! Thank you Lord. You are my Savior. You alone bring me the peace that I desire. Bless me once again with the stillness of my heart, that only You can give me. Thank you for your Son, Jesus. In His name we pray.
06 April, 2007 - The Supremacy of the Son of God
--- "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20)
When you feel like you are all alone and nothing is going your way. It is time to come back from the brink of despair/ Turn to the Lord. Turn your eyes to the Lord. God cares for you. He cares enough to give us His only Son. The Son of Man. Thank you God for this day. This day that you have made for us.
04 April, 2007 - Repentance
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" Isaiah 30. I do not always simply open the Bible and point, in order to see what God wants to tell me. Sometimes it is fun to do - just to see what jumps out at me. This is one time that the words actually bore some validity.
We are so busy trying to do "something" that we end up doing nothing. We choose to let others determine our personal value and success. We rely on self esteem for our self sufficiency. It is hard to do anything different, when we are bombarded by a crisis every moment. We struggle with nothing ever changing. We fight complacency, and we fight the truth of reality.
No, it will never be easier. Your situation may never change. There are things (or people) you can do nothing about. But in our "quietness and trust is our strength". We do, however, have choices to make. We choose how we respond to these trials. We can either get angry, fight back, argue, attempt to change the situation ... or we can offer the trial up in prayer to the Lord.
God is a good God. He loves us more than we can imagine. He would never allow us to suffer needlessly. His wisdom and unfathomable understanding is all that we need. These earthly trials are but a simple breath in the whole scheme of our life here. But know this, prayer, and supplication, may not change the situation. But in your petition to the Lord, ask for peace in the matter. Clear your mind and rid your thoughts of the fog of anger, confusion and doubt. Just as we would run to a parent when we were young, searching for safety and security; we need to run to our heavenly Father for the same thing. His arms are wide and the are always open.
You may see a completely different view of what is before you. But then, you may not. The crisis may still be exactly as you saw it before. But the peace of the moment is worth the prayer.
If all you ever have at the end of the day is God, let that be enough.
28 March, 2007 - Routines
I usually have this routine in the morning. The alarm goes off, I will listen to a couple of songs on the "lite rock" station, I will pray, thanking God for the ability to get up this morning. (Even though I have no clue what the day will hold.)
I blindly find my way to the coffee pot, with assorted pit-stops on the way. I thank the Lord that I remembered to prepare the coffee filter with coffee last night, all I need do is turn it on. I stroll to the computer, while the fresh coffee aroma fills the air. There I check my e-mail, click on my homepage, read the daily scripture.... I think you get the idea.
This morning was no different, except the content of the thoughts on the way. I have a 73 year-old mother in the hospital with severe pneumonia and dehydration. She is now in stable condition, but we could have lost her. A couple of the songs on the radio station spoke of "not waiting" for love, and not to wait by the phone for me to call.
I clicked on Christian Mix Inet, and heard the Habib Band sing about "Make Me Your Voice", as I read the news headlines, of mass killings in Iraq. I read about the Phillipine bus hostage situation, and wonder again why God got me up this day.
He did not get me up so that I could go to work. He did not get me up to to pay my bills. He got me up so that I could be a "Voice for Him". He got me up to give all that I am - to Him. He got me up so that I could grow in Him; to have the blessing of reading the Gospel, according to Jesus.
He enabled me to get out of bed, so that we could walk together to places that He has already been, but I have not.
Hear my prayer dear Lord, fall down on me, to my knees. Rain on me, with love until I drown. I need you this morning, as any morning. Hear my prayer and hear my cry. As only you can satisfy.(Trevor Morgan - Fall Down). There is a light at the end of this tunnel. And there is someone waiting for us with open arms.
25 March, 2007 - Natalie Grant
Natalie Grant sings in her song "Awaken",
"Sometimes I feel like I'm just existing
I'm not really living
I'm only watching the time slip away
I've forgotten who I am in you
I'm not who I'm meant to be
I'm drifting farther away from my destiny
It is understandable to feel this way, when nothing ever changes. The same crisis laden day, as the one before. The promise of nothing ever changing. Nothing ever getting better. Nothing ever being any different.
You know you are not walking with the Lord when you feel this way. Yes, the day goes by ok. You go to work, make an income, pay your bills, laugh at someone's joke, go home. You are so "ok" with the day, you get up the next day to just do the same thing again the next day.
You may even say a prayer while you drive to work, or think about God a couple of times during the day. You try to do the right thing, but lose more battles than you even fight.
Did you catch that? "Lose more battles than you even fight"? What is sad, we are losing battles that we don't even know we are in. There are more wars being fought inside us, that we don't even realize. We become so complacent in our lives, we don't even see them. Unbeknownst to us, that smile you did not give, or acknowledgement of a person walking by you, could have been the spark that lights the fire for another. But we got that report done on time, or we sold that tv, with a protection plan. Someone else walks in darkness, but we are ok.
"But I did not know", you excuse yourself from accountability. Even in the secular world, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Why should it be any difference in our spiritual life? One one hand, you can't hardly know and understand all the nuances of laws on our books. However, on the other hand, our spiritual laws are contained in one single book. They are easy to understand, and bear no room for interpretation. They are cut and dry, black, white and red.
Red with the blood of Jesus, who's death and resurrection gives us passage to our heavenly Father God. His way is straight and narrow. There are paths we can take to take care of our earthly responsibilities, but his Word is clear. We do not need Mapquest or Travelocity to book our destination for us. The reservation has already been made. We just need to grab our ticket and go.
Don't drift away from your destiny.
"Awaken my heart, awaken my soul
Awaken your power and take control
Awaken the passion to live for you, lord
Awaken me"
Grab your ticket, in the Bible, and let's go. The reservation has been made, and the spread has been turned back for you. God keeps His light on, just for you.
23 March, 2007 - New Friend
I have a new friend that I met at my real job. He is a struggling Christian, as we all are. I am the most unlikely person on the face of the earth, to preach. I struggle with the flesh daily. I lose that struggle more than I win it. But remember, nothing happens without God's hand in it. This guy asked me one day if I was his angel.
Not hardly. But the words of the Lord come through when I speak to him. He asked how do we know when it is the Lord speaking to us? He fights voices of Satan regularly, telling him what to do. My answer was simple, you will know when it is the Lord. If you pray for God to cast out the demons, in Christ's name, the clear voice of God will be the only one left. If your thoughts are silent, then you know it was Satan.
This friend e-mailed me the other day. He said things were going good, but it was tough going. I reassured him that it is always a struggle. Satan throws all he has at us. Remember that Satan is a liar, and God is truth. Truth always wins. I reminded him that faith and trust in the Lord are the answer to it all. Trust and faith are the hardest part of being a Christian, because we are of the flesh. Here is what I wrote back.
How To Have An Angel In Your Pocket
"Yes, it does take faith, and a lot of it. It also takes a lot of trust. Total and complete trust. That is the hardest of all.
God does bless (us). Sometimes it is not a simple blessing. Sometimes it is hidden in a struggle or a test. But He will not give us anything that we can't handle together.
We can't probably remember this, but when we were little ... that time we jumped into our father's arms in the pool. We do not remember the time we were pushed on that new bicycle for the first time, and rode it down the sidewalk.
We also do not remember the fact that we nearly drowned with all that water in our nose, as daddy let us dunk under the water as he caught us. We don't remember the damage to our knees as we crashed the bike after only going a few feet.
But we trusted our father to not let harm come to us. And as our father's cried as we learned to swim and to ride that bicycle, our Father in Heaven cries, as we struggle in our faith and our trust in Him. He has boundless joy when we learn from our struggles and walk with Him.
There is absolutely no difference. Just remember that we have a Father that loves us and will never let harm come to us, as long as we trust and have faith in Him.
God bless (you). He shows his glory every minute of the day. We just need to remember to thank him for teaching us to ride the bike, and we won't even remember the skinned knees, or water in our nose.."
You see? I never had that kind of father in real life. Yes, I had a dad, but not a father. The only time I ever heard that he loved me was when he was drunk. But our Heavenly Father is alive. He does love us, he wants us to struggle and learn. He wants us to glorify him, he wants our love, reverence and commitment. Our Heavenly Father deserves it, because he has taught us everything we know. He has given us everything we have. So when we fight or struggle with anything, we need to get on our knees and pray for his guidance and wisdom, just as we did (should have been able to) with our earthly father.
Just remember, God does answer all prayers. Sometimes the answer is "No", sometimes it is "Yes", sometimes it is "wait, I have something better for you".
21 March, 2007 - Lyrics
Sometime song lyrics strike you. Almost as if they wrote the song for you - or you wrote it yourself. Getting ready for work this morning, I added a new album to Christian Mix Inet. (WOW - Next (2007)). Mind you, I do not particularly care for Rap or Hip-Hop, but this one from Group 1 Crew, seemed to dwell in me while getting ready for another day. Here is the chorus:
A LOT IN COMMON
Sometimes we're up and sometimes we're down
Sometimes the world goes round and round
And we don't stop to think that
We got a lot in common
Sometimes we have it sometimes we don't
What matters most is not the physical
Just look inside your soul cause
We got a lot in common
We gotta keep on keep on, and gotta press on press on- blazing ahead
Have a great day - or not. The choice is yours!
29 February, 2008 - The Side of Truth
"Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth." Prov. 16:13
Kings are not the only ones who value truthfulness. No one likes a liar. But is omission of a fact a lie? Is not saying anything actually being truthful? Can you 'skirt' the truth by just not lying?
This is a revisited topic from a blog a few weeks back. The reason for it is a reminder to myself, and any one else for that matter. This entry just puts a little more emphasis on the comment I heard back then. "Tell the truth and you will not need a good memory". There is a personal purpose in this review. That purpose applies to us all in any circumstance. I am dealing with an individual that believes that the omission of the truth is not lying. By ignoring the truth, you are actually lying. If you know what the truth is, and simply chose not to tell it, or conveniently forget the facts surrounding the truth, you are no better than someone who blatantly lies.
Truth is one of the most effective tools available to you. When you respect, honor and abide in the truth, you put yourself on the side of strength and power. You generally do not have to defend the truth.
You can try to cover it up, explain it away, run from it or rationalize against it, but in the end if you go against the truth you will lose. Lies, deceit, half truths, rationalizations and justifications must constantly be defended and maintained, and will eventually crumble. The truth remains the truth whether it is defended or not. Therefore, it goes to show that; omission of the truth is not healthy at all. By saving someone from the truth, you are doing more harm than good.
It often can seem convenient or expedient to deny the truth. But when you deny the truth you put yourself in a position of weakness. Making a habit of that can drain your energy, not to mention your credibility. There are so many times we hide the truth from one another thinking that if we don't say anything about it - then it can't possibly be a lie. Don't fool yourself. God knows what the real facts are. Even if the other person involved never finds out, God still knows.
Put yourself on the side of the truth, though it may be inconvenient or even painful. There will surely come a time when you'll be glad you did.
28 February, 2008 - Pray and Test
"Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." - 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NASB
How do we recognize the work of Satan and his demons? It's a mistake to assume the devil's works always appear dark and poisonous, violent and disgusting, extreme and shocking. In fact, the Bible says the opposite often is true.
Satan frequently appears to be the essence of goodness. He can disguise himself as a paragon of virtue, a genuine "angel of light." The same is true for demonic spirits. The Bible calls them his "servants," for they do Satan's bidding and serve him.
These demons can transform their appearance to make themselves seem completely different from what they really are. Consider what this means! Think about all the ways these evil spirits can be disguised. They can appear to be workers of good deeds, positive and wholesome, warm and caring, generous and concerned, or even Godly and righteous.
Today, remember that Satan and his demons are masters of lies (John 8:44). They're working harder than ever before to deceive and trick God's people and the nations of the world. They're disguising themselves in many clever and deceptive ways.
Make sure that you "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). Immerse yourself in the Bible, and stay close to the Lord. Pray and fast. Be filled with Holy Spirit, and learn to discern spiritual truths.
Stay alert, always testing the spirits in prayer. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you discernment. The spiritual battle is real, but God will give you victory!
27 February, 2008 - He Comes Where He Commands Us To Leave
"When Jesus had made an end of commanding his disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities." Matthew 11:1
I have been truly struggling with this blog entry for the last few days. This is an area that I have a lot of personal difficulty understanding. If God says "Go", do you stay because you are so concerned about your people at home? If God appears to be telling you to do something, do you obey Him? If you do not heed His calling, you are robbing people of the teaching and preaching of Jesus Christ Himself. I understand that part, it makes perfect sense. But what if your ministry concerning Christ needs a bill paid, and you take the money that as allocated to your rent or mortgage payment - to pay that bill, have you obeyed God? How do you know if it was truly God directing you? Are you leaving all the consequences of your actions to God?
When it is a choice between your ministering to people through your music, and have a chance at a booking, what about your responsibilities as a wife? How do you explain your leaving to you family? Would God actually direct you to abandon your responsibilities as a wife, mother, bill payer, etc., so that you could preach the gospel through song to another?
We need to watch where we debate our call to duty in the Lord. Is your earthly concerns in competition with your Heavenly commands? You say to yourself, "I know He told me to go, but what about my duty here?" Does this mean you do not believe Jesus means what He says. Does this mean you do not trust that God will do what he promises to do?
I honestly believe that God would not lead us in a direction that would conflict with another biblical obligation or commitment. If you are convinced that you have a ministry called for by God, in music, yet can not seem to put it all together -- then maybe you need to evaluate that 'calling' again. I don't think the Lord would call you to something that would neglect your responsibilities as a wife or a mom.
I wanted so badly to go do "something" to assist the victims of hurricane Katrina. Even if it was standing around handing out bottles of water. I felt a desire and calling to do anything I could. But it was not meant to be. I could not afford to travel. my health would not cooperate with any sort of endurance, nor could I arrange a sabatical from my job. Instead, I sent $20 to the Red Cross. I did do 'something'. I did all I could do. Isn't that what scripture says? For us each to give according to our ability?
We tend to argue and make deals with God. Invariably, God gets His way. "Master, .... let us make three tabernacles." Why do we play the spiritual amateur of providence in our lives? Are we so noisy in our instruction to ourselves and others that God can not get anywhere near us or them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us in regard to the spirit of His Son. He wants us to turn our times of prayer into mountains of transfiguration, and we are not letting Him. We can not be certain of the way that God will work. But you can be guaranteed that He will work.
He works where He sends us to wait. This is a bit confusing, but is real clear when you think about it. Waiting for God is difficult. But He will do what he says. We must not wait in spiritual depression because we are not able to see the broadside of a barn that is right in front of us. We must not fall victim to spiritual hysterics to wait on God. Keep in mind that waiting on God is not sitting around with folded hands, but to learn what we are told. These are three phases of His ways that we rarely recognize and obey.
In summary, shut up and wait! God will direct and guide you in His ways. He is God - your not. If a desire, or purpose is not clear, pray and wait for Him to fullfil providence in your life. Some things are quite clear as to your calling and responsibilities here in this life. Again, the Lord is writing this book of your life. Let Him be the author!
"My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:20-27 TNIV
24 February, 2008 -The Values in Your Heart
Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor dismayed; be strong and of good courage." Joshua 10:25
I can remember back in high school we were on our way to our state competition in what was called then, Declamation (Declam). We sat in the bus waiting to get on the road, when our English teacher, Ms. Frank, stood up in front and prayed. "Lord, these young people have all worked so very hard to get to this stage of the competition. They have practiced hard and rehearsed diligently. Above all, they have learned to work as a team. Please help them to not be afraid, teach them the value of doing their very best."
I think of her words in many of the things that challenge me today. Even though we lost miserably in Des Moines, Iowa, at the state competition, we did our best. There were just others that were better. Where we did not do well is in areas of spontaneous oratory. Areas that we had not seen before. Readings and contests of stories and verse that we had not seen before.
Isn't that how life throws itself at us? We seem to do well in things we know and have practiced. But there are curves and unforeseen circumstances and events that we possibly could never know. Things we could never prepare for. For many of us, it seems like this describes every waking moment. We are consumed by strife, pain, fearful moments and unsurmountable challenges. When your world seems frustrating, and falling apart, keep in mind that the most important part of you exists beyond those frustrations. When life feels painful, never forget that the pain, however difficult it may be, is confined to just a small portion of who you truly are.
We truly had a celebration! We did well through the entire competition, all the way to the state level. We had fun, enjoyed the competition, became so close to our friends and teammates, and our team leader, We were family, and went though this all together. We did our best.
All around you are things you can see and touch and physically manipulate. They are part of life, but they are by no means all there is.
Joshua's encouragement from God enabled victory for God's people. In our case, we achieved victory in our hearts. When God sets tasks, challenges, struggles in front of us, we need to be encouraged by His words and prepare to march at his command. Do not be afraid to tackle the mountains before you. These mountains want to destroy you. They are Satan's attempts to discredit your faith in the Lord. Each fight will be protected by God. Just call on His Holy name to guide you through it. Be sure to pray for wisdom to learn from the adventure. Pray for God's Will to be done. And be sure to praise Him and thank Him for this opportunity to learn what He would have you learn. Then do your very best, in Jesus' name.
You cannot hold love in your hand, and yet you know for certain that it exists. You cannot capture joy in a box or an envelope and yet you have no doubt that it is real.
When the outward concerns of life seem to be overwhelming, remind yourself, there's more. There is so very much more to living and being than those things you can see and hear, taste and smell, touch and possess.
Even those losses and disappointments that feel big and burdensome, are small in comparison to all the beautiful, positive possibilities living within you. Look beyond the noisy, superficial distractions and remember the miracle of your existence.
Live your life around the values in your heart. And those everyday pains and nuisances will lose their power to bring you down. Don't lose heart. God has victory for US TOO!!
23 February, 2008 - You are NOT OK!
'Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? As for those who come to me and hear my words and put them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But those who hear my words and do not put them into practice are like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.' Luke 6:46-49 TNIV
I have really been struggling recently. Struggling with physical pain, emotional pain, sadly insufficient finances, direction of life issues, etc. Add to that questioning my personal value, and worth in God's eyes. Nothing seems to be working out for me in anything I seem to do. Life just generally sucks.
Sound familiar? I contend you to be a liar if you did not feel like this at times, if not quite often. Your utility bills are due, your behind on your rent or mortgage, you wonder where your next meal is coming from, and none of it seems to be your own doing. You can not trace the problems to any root cause of your own doing.
You reflect on your efforts and deeds. You go to church when you can, you give to the offering plate what you can, you volunteer with a few church activities, you pray for the poor and hurting (when you remember). You are a pretty good Christian, you think. You talk about God at work, even though it might get you fired. You even find yourself thanking Jesus for a minor blessing that treats you to something you had not expected. What else could there possibly be for you to do?
Read the verse again. "'Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" You try to tell yourself and everyone else that you are OK. You know what? YOU'RE NOT OK!
But there is hope! Before you wallow in the depths of total despair, consider this. After you've been defeated is not the time to give up. If you give up then, the hard-earned knowledge of what went wrong will be of little use. Look at your defeat as a payment in advance for your ultimate success. Because that's exactly what it is.
1 John 3:8b He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
You still curse the red light when you are running late for work. You still laugh at the filthy jokes that you hear on the jobsite. You smoke, have a couple beers with your buddies after work, rather than head home to watch your son pitch in a softball game. You obsess over that new secretary in the office, your pin-up calendar in the garage is everything short of pornographic. You sit around and watch the football game rather than take your family to a movie. I won't continue any further, except for this; when was the last time you just picked up the Bible and read it without someone telling you where to turn?
God gave His only Son to die for you, so that you could be worthy of standing before Him on that day of judgement. That day where your name will be written in that Book of Life - or not. Someone died for you! You say you would do it for your family. You claim that you would trade your life for your wife and children. But look at you! Prove it! Die right now! Give your life for your family. Give your life to the Lord. Give Him all of it, every little segment of that miserable existence that you protect - because you think you deserve a little pleasure for yourself.
It matters little that you've been defeated. What really counts is how quickly you get going again. Wallowing in self pity gets you nowhere, and it's really not even that much fun. Find something better to do. Pick yourself up and get on with it. You're smarter now. You're wiser and more experienced. You have an in-depth understanding of what went wrong. From that it should be no problem to figure out how you can make things go right.
Each of your defeats can bring you closer to victory, so why in the world would you want to let any of them stop you? You've already paid part of the price. Now get on with the business of reaping the reward.
Throw out those cigarettes and pray to God, that He will help you dissolve the addiction. Take down the pin-up tool calendar and replace it with a photo of your wife. Take a walk with your son or daughter. Go on a date with your family. Die to your old self, grasp the promise of a new life in Christ. Stop being a looser, and LIVE as a WINNER!
What is it your still holding onto that is preventing you from being all that God is capable of making you? Start today, DIE FOR YOU FAMILY and to the old self. Quit wondering why God seems to be picking on you. Cease asking why things aren't better than they are. Take control of what you have control of. Choose LIFE!
05 September, 2007 - Update and Praises
A couple of weeks ago, a listener of Christian Mix Inet wrote an e-mail requesting prayer for her son who was involved in a car accident. She also wanted prayer for her in handling the situation. She became rather desperate because she did not feel that God was answering her prayer to deal with the alcohol that was involved.
What is amazing is that God was answering her prayers. Only it was in a way that she was not expecting. We do that, don't we? Place expectations on God to deal with a situation on our terms. It doesn't work that way. God does what He wants, when he wants, and in a way that is only known to Him.
Here is an update on that situation, from the mom. It is posted with her permission.
This is an update on my son Mark, who is recovering well from his auto accident a few weeks ago. He may be able to go to school in a couple weeks. He is still a hurting unit with his couple of broken ribs. He is a senior this year. He is up and around the house and spends all his time on his play station with games. That is how I can tell he is recovering.
I must share God's work in Mark. I do believe in miracles. The first miracle is the fact that my son is still alive and able to annoy me like he does. Thank you Lord for that.
The deputy that found Mark underneath the car that morning stopped by this week. When the cruiser pulled into the driveway Wednesday we thought maybe it was for a ticket from the accident. It was not. The officer was just stopping by to check in on Mark. He had some pictures of the car after rolling three times. I did not ever know that he had not ever seen the car.
Mark looked at the pictures for the longest time. He started to cry. "I am pretty lucky to be alive, ain't I?"
The deputy agreed. Still in tears, Mark told the deputy, "You saved my life, didn't you? I would not be here if you didn't get there so soon, right?" The deputy nodded his head. You should have been there my friends. The presence of the Lord was so strong.
The deputy, almost in tears himself, told my son that he prayed for him that morning. He told Mark that he was fairly new on the police department and this was his first big deal as a cop. He told Mark how scared he was, and that he wanted to be sure to do everything right. He told Mark that he prayed as he got out of his patrol car to help.
I don't want to bore you with all the details, I could write a book about this. But Mark is quite aware of the Lord being with them that morning, on a small country road just outside of town. Mark professes to know Christ. I believe he does. But this meeting between the rescuer and the victim was anointed by God himself. I have not spoken much about the accident to Mark. We have been too busy nursing him back to health.
But this Christian officer, prayed with my son right there. He put his hand on Mark's shoulder and prayed for his recovery and future. They hugged and the officer left.
People, you can not tell me that God is not still doing miracles. The simple fact that we are graced with the ability to get out of bed in the morning is a miracle enough. Kim (ed. note: Kim is a CMI Christian independent artist), you mentioned the struggle between your family and writing. I understand. Life gets so busy. But as long as we follow His commands, the resources, the energy, the answer, will come. I can not say enough about prayer. I have not prayed as much ever, as I have this last few weeks. Simply because I did not know what else to do.
My prayers are being answered, minute by minute. The love and resolve of all my fears are being taken care of before my eyes. Take care of your family. That burning to write music will be answered, in his time. I would worry when the fire goes out. God is building a flame for him inside you. When the flame is ready to be passed on to others, in your music, you will realize the purpose of the wait. God is working in your music Kim. I don't know where it is going, but He does. Have faith in knowing that God knows His plan for you.
Voice23, you shared with me a similar thing. You said you did not know what your future direction was for your station. God knows. Keep praying and have faith that God will have his way, all for His glory. Don't get so busy trying to see the prayers answered, that you miss seeing the prayers answered.
God bless all of you. I love you and thank you for your prayers. I am so grateful for these new friendships that have been placed in my life. Kim, I would love to see some pictures of your new little one. Maybe you can have voice23 post them on his website.
In Christ
Tracy
29 August, 2007 - War
Have you ever cheated in on a video game by pressing that "secret" key combination and entering "God Mode"? I suppose not. I have. Sometimes, I will use that mode to run through the game and "experience" the challenges, pitfalls and dangers, before I actually play the game real-time.
By doing this, you are able to plan, protect, and feel reasonably safe in your game play. You know what perils stalk you around that corner. You know what danger is in store when you reach a certain level. You can plan for it and be ready. That is not really cheating? Is it? I call it "research".
Don't you wish life was like that? Don't you wish you knew what the outcome of a choice would be - before you made it? Wouldn't it be great to anticipate threats and guard against them. What a relief in parenting, if you could protect your family from every danger and predator that lurks around ever corner.
How many marriages would be saved, if we knew what to say, when and how to say it - or learn when to not say anything at all?
Now, back to reality, WAKEUP!
You were having a dream. Life is not a video game. But rest assured that there is a "God Mode"! You can access it anytime, anywhere, without a secret combination of codes. It is yours for the asking, through Jesus Christ, who gave up His life, so that we could have a "God Mode" in our daily life.
"My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." John 10:29
Just like in the video game, the dangers are still there. The enemy is still lurking behind that cover. You still get shot at, and still fall through the floorboards of the game play. But you do not die. You do not DIE! You are in "God Mode". You are protected from death but still get to experience the game.
Our life with Christ is exactly the same. We still have the pains, the hurts, the challenges, and the struggles. We can make bad choices, learn, experience success, and failures. But we do not DIE! We have the promise of eternal salvation, through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus.
No matter how challenging the levels of play are in your life, you can be in "God Mode". You can experience the game and NEVER DIE!
Are you in "God Mode" today?
24 August, 2007 - Sheep
I am reading though John. I read John 10 this morning. You must read it. The first thing I thought of was Ken Davis and the story about his taking the short cut into the sheep pen.
Anyway, Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd. He knows us. He loves us and he has paid the price and owns us. We need to know his voice. As we mature in our walk with him, we learn to tell the difference between his voice and the voices of the robbers and thieves that only wish harm to us.
I pray today that we listen for the voice of Christ today and follow him in everything we do.
Amen!
16 August, 2007 - 4P's
I am in the process of an e-mail exchange with an author by the name of Linda Nacif. 'Linda Nacif is the author of "Jump and the Joy Will Follow." Through Linda's breakthrough techniques and passionate communication, she encourages clients to dare to go beyond their comfort zone by being adventurous, fit and enthusiastic' I encourage you to visit her website at: www.lindanacif.com.
I have never been much on the "positive thinking" mentality. That arena that endorses the "if it feels good - do it" mentality. But Linda Nacif is different. She wrote a book called ""Jump and the Joy Will Follow.". I have not read it yet. But after questioning her thoughts on her motivational thought process, I think she has potential. :)
Here are my thoughts on 'Jumping and commitment'. I would love to hear your input on this theory and practice of mine. click here to e-mail me.
Even though we are drawn aback with fear at venturing out on our dreams and goals, we are our worst enemy. (Beside Satan of course). However, we have the grace and forgiveness in our corner of the ring on both occasions.
I do not condone "blind leaps" of faith. But harboring fear, after we have (what I call) "pondered, prayed, prepared and pretended", is inexcusable. That is not to say that we literally make a jump out of an airplane, forgetting our parachute; forgiving our bad choice by saying. "I INTENDED" to put on a parachute'
Instead, a degree of thinking over a project or commitment is necessary. We then need to pray, that whatever the challenge is, IS God's will. (I heard someone say. if you ever want to make God laugh - tell him YOUR plans for the future.) Then comes the preparation or planning. Is it logistically sound? Is it marketable? What do I need to do so that I can realize this objective.
Then comes the part I like the most. I pretend. I will play, as if I am already doing this activity. I will make calls to sources, resources, and prospects. I will "test market" the idea. This allows feedback, fine tuning, practice and refinement.
If all is well, then I take the leap! Just do it! Get it on! Rock 'n Roll. All obstacles and fears are behind me. I can pursue a task or idea with confidence and assured that God is my partner.
I have many great ideas. I have many thoughts. I am an overflowing urn of inventious ideas. Most never make it past the praying stage. I am either cut short there, or the idea fizzles and goes away. Sometimes, the plan is placed on a back burner for a better time. But it beats the hell out of the other option. I would rather "fizzle" than "crash and burn".
I believe in this philosophy. Sometimes, we go through these processes, and sit on the edge of fear and frustration. All this means is, we need to go through the process again. Maybe I missed something. Or maybe God really didn't want me to do it. Maybe I used a short-cut on the preparation. Or maybe the playing was not invested in properly and I had some unresolved refinement that was needed.
4 P's. : Pondered, Prayed, Prepared and Pretended.
I guarantee you, that if these four filters are practiced in sequence, and completed, you will end up with a project or idea that is ready to bust out of the gate. Like 20lbs of potatoes in a 10lb sack. Like a bronc waiting for the split second in which that gate opens in a rodeo. If you don't follow this process, it will be like trying to blow up a balloon under water. You will be defeated before you start. You will reinforce every doubt that you have. And restore that satanic fear that is holding you back from all your potential.
Remember, we are stewards of our knowledge, thoughts, and abilities. God has gifted us with potential. In order to be a good steward of these prizes, we need to use them, refine them, strengthen them and --- SHARE THEM with others.
09 August, 2007 - Update
Just a little update on the medical situation here. The surgery went well. We had to remove a little more of the tibia than expected because of some clotting and degeneration. There was a bit of a cancer scare, but that is negative. The bruising and clotting had just made things a lot worse than originally thought. But with the graces of God and the fine surgeons, it went well. Now comes the aftercare and painful recovery. My pain cycles are minute by minute. The pain levels would be more consistent if I were not to think that I am better than the wonderful doctors and nurses that are caring for me. Even though they have not physically gone through a total knee replacement themselves, they have been involved in many of them. The do know better.
When they tell me I am not ready, three or four days out of surgery, to be back on my feet actively, they are right. I tend to be the type of person that feels good for a little while, and that opens the door to getting things done. I need to listen more attentively to them and stay "homebound" as I am classified. The nurse told me yesterday that she would "put me back in the hospital" if I did not settle down. So be it.
I would like to ask for continued prayer in my recovery. There are so many things that need to get done around here, both personally, and with Christian Mix Inet. But they will not be done well, if I do not heed the advise of those that care for me during this recovery. Unfortunately, I still need you to pray for any possible support you can offer to this ministry. Hosting for our stream is due and we are not able to cover the costs at the moment. I thank you for your consideration and prayer. Please do continue.
25 July, 2007 - Satan's Insight
I have always had a profound respect for writers of words and music. The gift of putting thoughts into written words is a daunting task for me. Even though I have had a couple things published in the past, and have been a staff writer for a newspaper, I praise God for editors. Unfortunately, I do not have one here. Please bear with me.
Satan KNOWS our future. Because it was taken away from him when he was doomed to darkness. Maybe the actual translation of my comment should be different than it was. But consider this. I hope that this does not present itself as a bunch of rambling. I pray that God inspire my words. I pray that he help me present my thoughts and beliefs in a manner that glorifies him. Much of this I have read elsewhere and have formulated into my own "soup" of faith.
We are strangers to this world, this human existence, we don't belong here. We are not of this world, we are pilgrims who are waiting for our promised home with Christ. It is only then shall our life truly begin. Satan knows that we understand this. He knows about our faith and most of all, know about our Jesus, our Christ, our God and Friend. Satan will do anything he can to keep us from that eternity. But he only has the power and control that God allows him to have. There is a terrible price to pay for following Satan's lies. He has lost his inheritance to eternal life, and he wants ours. He has been given a short time to test all creation. He has been given to tempt the flesh, by God.
If found this one day while looking for something else.
"Satan prowls the earth seeking whom he may devour - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" - I Peter 5:8. His power is great...but limited. He can only control his demons and the souls of human beings that he controls, meaning those in the world who are his. He CANNOT possess the body of a Christian who is protected by the Holy Spirit in Christ. Satan can only oppress from the outside through temptation of the flesh". by Raymond Laginess
When I said that Satan knows my future, he certainly does. Satan knows his enemy. This is not a game for the devil. He knows that we will not serve him - EVER! I know I am a sinner, I have faults and a sin nature, but, although I'm weak in the flesh and the lowest of all humans, I also know that in Christ I am righteous......I'm forgiven.......and I'm saved! I have His power to overcome and He is always with me. The spiritual battle that I deal with is with Satan's attempts to hide Christ's Blood from me. Satan knows that we are not all saved. He knows that it is by the Blood of Christ that we are saved. Satan tries to hide the blood from us to make us stumble and fall.
Satan knows what the alternative to the darkness of his future. Actually in Revelations, it says that Satan's days are numbered. (That is a completely different study). He knows what our future with Christ is going to be like, because it was stripped from him. Imagine what it must be like - knowing what an eternity with Christ, in Heaven, might be like -- and never having the remotest possibility of having it. Satan knows what he is missing in his future, and he wants ours.
