Ups, Downs, Left's, Right's......Being Still, Running in all directions........Questioning, Receiving a Word......In Season, Out of Season.................Struggling, Enduring, Pushing Forward, Trusting........Joyful, Depressed, Happy.......Waiting, Impatient.......Excited, Uncomfortable, Content, Discontented......Full of Energy, Running on E......Encouraging, Needing Encouragement......
And that was just today! How can we ever say the walk with the Lord is boring! It's a roller coaster at times, but man, it's awesome to sit back and enjoy the ride......
Friday, March 30, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Blessed be the Name of the Lord
Sitting here in my office, looking at a stack of papers that I need to finish working on......its cloudy outside, and the view outside the window could be mistaken for the same dreary covering that continues to hover over my spirit. The Lord feels distant but faith remains....as I sit searching my heart, and ignoring the paperwork, the Newsboys calmly sing................
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, when your streams of abundance flow,
Blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when Im found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing you poor out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, Still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your glorious name!
There is peace in knowing He is there, no matter what my heart tells me. There is comfort that HE is still on his throne holding the universe together with every word from HIS mouth. So, another Friday passes, and another weekend begins. The bottom line, the Lord Reigns, and He does not tarry in his coming, he is just patient. Blessed be His name. Blessed be His name. Blessed by His name.
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, when your streams of abundance flow,
Blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when Im found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing you poor out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, Still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your glorious name!
There is peace in knowing He is there, no matter what my heart tells me. There is comfort that HE is still on his throne holding the universe together with every word from HIS mouth. So, another Friday passes, and another weekend begins. The bottom line, the Lord Reigns, and He does not tarry in his coming, he is just patient. Blessed be His name. Blessed be His name. Blessed by His name.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A Coffee Kind of Morning
I woke up this morning, and realized that I had been sleeping in the most comfortable place on my bed (you know that one place where every part of your body is relaxed). When my eyes popped open to the sound of talk radio and some type of very boring discussion, I cringed at the thought of rolling over to turn off the alarm clock. I gave myself an extra 10 minutes under the pre-tense, that "I needed some extra rest", then scrambled out of bed and began the morning routine. I looked in the mirror and determined that shaving could wait another day, then finished the usual routine and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. At this point, I was about 10 minutes behind my schedule, (see a theme here), and looked in the fridge, to start making "the usual" breakfast. Of course, I had forgotten to grab more eggs in my 10:30pm excursion to Wal-Mart last night, so I had to be resourceful for breakfast. "Let's see, I have fajita chicken strips and......fajita chicken strips". Well, I guess we're going south of the border for breakfast this AM! I grilled up some chicken, popped some bread in the toaster, and then got ready to enjoy some increased morning insulin levels! Woo-Hoo!
After breakfast, I start quiet time.....I started reading in Isaiah, and realized that my battery way apparently not plugged in this morning, as I felt like I was literally reading the Hebrew! (and I've never been to seminary)! After struggling through for 10-15 minutes, not really getting any thoughts to gel, I flip over to Proverbs, and read the Proverb for the day. ( I have recently gotten in the habit of trying to read the chapter of Proverbs that correlates to the day of the month, and now that I think about it, I actually read yesterdays, today (chapter 20)! Well, that doesn't surprise me, as it has been one of those mornings.....
So, as I skimmed through the Proverbs, and overwhelmed my brain with the shear depth of wisdom.....BOOM! At last, some light breaks through!.....Hallelujah!!! Proverbs 20:6
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
I have actually written a blog on this verse before, but again it resounds in my heart!
Faithfulness Josh,....that is what I want! Faithfulness.......Keep on stepping, don't stop, no matter what you come up against, what your flesh tries to tell you, keep on keeping on!
Okay, so the Lord did not actually say "Keep on keeping on", but nonetheless, I got his message.
In this day and time, faithfulness has become a forgotten word. The idea that I stick with doing something when: 1. I don't have to, 2. I don't want to, and 3. I don't feel like it, is almost ridiculous to many. But, as I thought deeper on this, the question arose, How else do we truly show that we are loving others above ourself, How better to reflect Christ, How better to show the Lord that we love Him? We stay in the place he has us, whether we like it, or not, until He tells us to move. We continue serving Him, and serving others in that place, until He tells us to stop.
Let's take a small detour and look at the sacred institution of marriage. It is only my speculation, but I would bet, that after being married to someone for 10-15 years, that there come a few points along the way, where you probably would want to leave. You no longer "feel" in love, you know longer "want" to serve, you no longer "think" you need to stay. How do you show love in that time?......You remain faithful.
You stay, and you keep stepping, and stepping, and stepping. If the Lord called you to marriage, then that is the place you are called to be until HE changes it. So, while emotions will come and go, problems that were never anticipated occur, and pain will be inflicted by the person that can and will hurt you the most......you stay and remain faithful.
In this faithfulness you are showing the Love of the Lord. The world sets it self up to be first, so that whenever self feels hurt, or pain, or anything uncomfortable, it chooses to do what is best for self. We need to look no further than Christ's example to realize how our response should directly contradict that. We need look no further than the cross to see that faithfulness through the pain is the standard the Lord has given us. Where else can the tremendous love of Christ be seen, if not in the places that world will never tread, in the decisions the world will never understand to make.
Man, this blog kind of took on it's own direction.....
In the end my dear brothers and sisters....in the joy, in the pain, in understanding, and in confusion.....remain faithful to tasks to which you have been called, by so doing your witness for Christ to a dark and selfish world is seen like a candle on a lampstand, and a light on a hill!
After breakfast, I start quiet time.....I started reading in Isaiah, and realized that my battery way apparently not plugged in this morning, as I felt like I was literally reading the Hebrew! (and I've never been to seminary)! After struggling through for 10-15 minutes, not really getting any thoughts to gel, I flip over to Proverbs, and read the Proverb for the day. ( I have recently gotten in the habit of trying to read the chapter of Proverbs that correlates to the day of the month, and now that I think about it, I actually read yesterdays, today (chapter 20)! Well, that doesn't surprise me, as it has been one of those mornings.....
So, as I skimmed through the Proverbs, and overwhelmed my brain with the shear depth of wisdom.....BOOM! At last, some light breaks through!.....Hallelujah!!! Proverbs 20:6
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
I have actually written a blog on this verse before, but again it resounds in my heart!
Faithfulness Josh,....that is what I want! Faithfulness.......Keep on stepping, don't stop, no matter what you come up against, what your flesh tries to tell you, keep on keeping on!
Okay, so the Lord did not actually say "Keep on keeping on", but nonetheless, I got his message.
In this day and time, faithfulness has become a forgotten word. The idea that I stick with doing something when: 1. I don't have to, 2. I don't want to, and 3. I don't feel like it, is almost ridiculous to many. But, as I thought deeper on this, the question arose, How else do we truly show that we are loving others above ourself, How better to reflect Christ, How better to show the Lord that we love Him? We stay in the place he has us, whether we like it, or not, until He tells us to move. We continue serving Him, and serving others in that place, until He tells us to stop.
Let's take a small detour and look at the sacred institution of marriage. It is only my speculation, but I would bet, that after being married to someone for 10-15 years, that there come a few points along the way, where you probably would want to leave. You no longer "feel" in love, you know longer "want" to serve, you no longer "think" you need to stay. How do you show love in that time?......You remain faithful.
You stay, and you keep stepping, and stepping, and stepping. If the Lord called you to marriage, then that is the place you are called to be until HE changes it. So, while emotions will come and go, problems that were never anticipated occur, and pain will be inflicted by the person that can and will hurt you the most......you stay and remain faithful.
In this faithfulness you are showing the Love of the Lord. The world sets it self up to be first, so that whenever self feels hurt, or pain, or anything uncomfortable, it chooses to do what is best for self. We need to look no further than Christ's example to realize how our response should directly contradict that. We need look no further than the cross to see that faithfulness through the pain is the standard the Lord has given us. Where else can the tremendous love of Christ be seen, if not in the places that world will never tread, in the decisions the world will never understand to make.
Man, this blog kind of took on it's own direction.....
In the end my dear brothers and sisters....in the joy, in the pain, in understanding, and in confusion.....remain faithful to tasks to which you have been called, by so doing your witness for Christ to a dark and selfish world is seen like a candle on a lampstand, and a light on a hill!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Why?
Why does faith have to be built at the edge of belief?
Why do we have to have patience?
Why does trusting Him have to be so difficult?
Why do we doubt?
Why do we fear?
Why do we have to find balance?
Why are we deceived?
Why can we not just stay in a place of contentment?
Why is stretching a continuous process?
Why can we not be free from our own sinful heart?
I can't wait for the day I stand in front of the Lord and finally understand the answers to all of these questions, and many, many more that I have asked. Until then, I will just look up at the beautiful sunrise, feel the cool wind on my face, hear the sweet song of spring time, and just keep stepping.
Why do we have to have patience?
Why does trusting Him have to be so difficult?
Why do we doubt?
Why do we fear?
Why do we have to find balance?
Why are we deceived?
Why can we not just stay in a place of contentment?
Why is stretching a continuous process?
Why can we not be free from our own sinful heart?
I can't wait for the day I stand in front of the Lord and finally understand the answers to all of these questions, and many, many more that I have asked. Until then, I will just look up at the beautiful sunrise, feel the cool wind on my face, hear the sweet song of spring time, and just keep stepping.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
It's a Billy Sunday, Sunday
As I write this, the time has officially sprung forward to 12:00 am, so technically it is Sunday...no matter what the timestamp is when I post this (hey, this is a key point in order for my title to make sense, and be an awesome pun!).
So, I bought a book today, and if you haven't already guessed, it is a biography of the "old time religion" evangelist, Billy Sunday. I didn't know a whole lot about him before I started reading today, other than that he was a professional baseball player turned preacher who spoke extensively for the abolition of alcohol. In reading through the recount of his life so far, I get the sense that he was just an ordinary, country, hard-working man that the Lord chose to use in a mighty way. He had a humble beginning, and had to overcome some tremendous adversity and difficulty in his childhood, but underneath it all was a man that was searching for what was right. When he found the Lord, (He was actually drawn into a church service by a group of musicians that were singing hymns on a sidewalk), it was as though things began to click into place from all the many years of difficulty and preparation. He developed a relationship with the Lord that reflected who he was, and reflected his understanding of who Jesus was.
Now, my assumption and conclusion is that this authenticity and deep love for the Lord, brought a very bright light into those he came in contact with. I have not finished reading of where the Lord brought him throughout his ministry, but I am aware that his name is still referred to today in regard to "those old-time religion" preachers.
So this leads into me. My heart often zones into old-time religion, and even though I have only been around for 26 years, the desire to return to this simplicity often haunts my very core. I sit and ponder the humility, the simplicity, and the authenticity of wooden church pews, ice-cream socials, men who wear hats and remove them before entering the threshold of the building, and ladies who observe and occasionally giggle quietly over the hair brained antics of a few "rebel rousing" young men in the congregation. I don't know, the idea sounds quaint, and maybe too simplistic for many.
Picture this: A small one room church house with a steeple, sitting in the middle of thousands of wild flowers on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April. The men dressed in suits and hats, the women with extravagant hats, and colorful umbrellas. The doors to the church open and you hear the sounds of a few hundred voices singing the hymns that are so deep, rich, and meaningful. Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Hallelujah, Thine the Glory.......and a preacher......a preacher that stands in front of them preaching truth to their hearts. Afterwards, everyone files out of the small one room meeting house, and shares in fellowship as they converse about the week that just passed, and the days that lie ahead.
I don't know.....I am a romantic at heart, and this is my idea of romance...simple, authentic, real, love. I pray that my walk is authentic, and that through Christ so is my love. When I met Him and really understood who He was, the things in my life started to become, of all things, much simpler. Clarity grew, and my worldly desires gradually began to fade. I began to ache, for the simple......slower, less complicated, more authentic reality of truth, and my desires for the fake, complicated, false lies of deceit began to fade. He brought that simplicity that I had longed for, the hope I had been seeking, and the peace that I was so desperate to find. From that, my desire to keep it simple, still remains. He is Lord, He is Christ, He is God, and I am forgiven by His blood. "He was pierced for my transgressions" because He loved me. So, I understand love, and I desperately want to show Him that I love Him too. Without Him, there is nothing worth getting excited over, and with Him, excitement seems to grow day by day. The good times are better than I could have ever imagined, and in the bad times there is always the truth that He is there to carry me through.
So that's all I have. Simpley, I am a man that loves Jesus. The man who first loved me.
So, I bought a book today, and if you haven't already guessed, it is a biography of the "old time religion" evangelist, Billy Sunday. I didn't know a whole lot about him before I started reading today, other than that he was a professional baseball player turned preacher who spoke extensively for the abolition of alcohol. In reading through the recount of his life so far, I get the sense that he was just an ordinary, country, hard-working man that the Lord chose to use in a mighty way. He had a humble beginning, and had to overcome some tremendous adversity and difficulty in his childhood, but underneath it all was a man that was searching for what was right. When he found the Lord, (He was actually drawn into a church service by a group of musicians that were singing hymns on a sidewalk), it was as though things began to click into place from all the many years of difficulty and preparation. He developed a relationship with the Lord that reflected who he was, and reflected his understanding of who Jesus was.
Now, my assumption and conclusion is that this authenticity and deep love for the Lord, brought a very bright light into those he came in contact with. I have not finished reading of where the Lord brought him throughout his ministry, but I am aware that his name is still referred to today in regard to "those old-time religion" preachers.
So this leads into me. My heart often zones into old-time religion, and even though I have only been around for 26 years, the desire to return to this simplicity often haunts my very core. I sit and ponder the humility, the simplicity, and the authenticity of wooden church pews, ice-cream socials, men who wear hats and remove them before entering the threshold of the building, and ladies who observe and occasionally giggle quietly over the hair brained antics of a few "rebel rousing" young men in the congregation. I don't know, the idea sounds quaint, and maybe too simplistic for many.
Picture this: A small one room church house with a steeple, sitting in the middle of thousands of wild flowers on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April. The men dressed in suits and hats, the women with extravagant hats, and colorful umbrellas. The doors to the church open and you hear the sounds of a few hundred voices singing the hymns that are so deep, rich, and meaningful. Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Hallelujah, Thine the Glory.......and a preacher......a preacher that stands in front of them preaching truth to their hearts. Afterwards, everyone files out of the small one room meeting house, and shares in fellowship as they converse about the week that just passed, and the days that lie ahead.
I don't know.....I am a romantic at heart, and this is my idea of romance...simple, authentic, real, love. I pray that my walk is authentic, and that through Christ so is my love. When I met Him and really understood who He was, the things in my life started to become, of all things, much simpler. Clarity grew, and my worldly desires gradually began to fade. I began to ache, for the simple......slower, less complicated, more authentic reality of truth, and my desires for the fake, complicated, false lies of deceit began to fade. He brought that simplicity that I had longed for, the hope I had been seeking, and the peace that I was so desperate to find. From that, my desire to keep it simple, still remains. He is Lord, He is Christ, He is God, and I am forgiven by His blood. "He was pierced for my transgressions" because He loved me. So, I understand love, and I desperately want to show Him that I love Him too. Without Him, there is nothing worth getting excited over, and with Him, excitement seems to grow day by day. The good times are better than I could have ever imagined, and in the bad times there is always the truth that He is there to carry me through.
So that's all I have. Simpley, I am a man that loves Jesus. The man who first loved me.
Audio Adrenaline
Okay everyone,
Here are the much awaited Audio A. pics.....Yes, I did get on the stage, and yes that is me making a fool of myself, but hey just let me say...it was AWESOME!!!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Resist the devil
Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
What does it mean to resist? I think that it involves more work than we at first want to think about. When you resist something, it is not as simple as a wayward "no". It usually has a repetitive tone to it, more along the lines of...no, No, NO, NO NO NO NO NO! I remember back in high school, the idea of resisting offers of this, and ideas of doing that, was not simply a matter of a simple "no". Usually, it was a constant barrage of questions, and continued petitions, until the point got clearly communicated....."I am not going there". A passive, unagressive stance would usually result in a reinforced response followed by constant pressure in order to push me in a firm direction of "yes" or "no". I think in my view of Satan's dealing it is much the same way.
He will push and push and push, he won't simply turn his back on his desire to break you down with a simple response. He is looking to "devour" like a lion. I have never had the misfortune to have to resist a physical lion, but I would bet that the blood hungry, huge, beast wouldn't turn it's back and flee if I looked at it half heartedly and said..."Hey, Mr. Lion, no, I am not interested in fighting you or anything difficult like that, so why don't you please turn around and leave me alone, is that, cool?" Nah, I think I might have a limb missing after a conversation like that.....
So how do I handle a lion that wants to devour me? More than likely I'm going to have to dig in...face him head on, and prove to him that he will not over power me, and that in the end, he will be wasting his energy and effort. After a battle, where he has gained no ground, he will eventually realize the power behind my stance, and give up. Then he will flee. The battle will be over after much intense struggle, and testing to prove that I won't give an inch, not one inch to him. That will not be without work, and pain, and struggle, but in the end......after he flees, I will stand in a place of victory over his schemes.....and will be able to return to fight another day.
"Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12
Got hit pretty hard this morning....so just getting my thought out...hope this encourages!
-J
What does it mean to resist? I think that it involves more work than we at first want to think about. When you resist something, it is not as simple as a wayward "no". It usually has a repetitive tone to it, more along the lines of...no, No, NO, NO NO NO NO NO! I remember back in high school, the idea of resisting offers of this, and ideas of doing that, was not simply a matter of a simple "no". Usually, it was a constant barrage of questions, and continued petitions, until the point got clearly communicated....."I am not going there". A passive, unagressive stance would usually result in a reinforced response followed by constant pressure in order to push me in a firm direction of "yes" or "no". I think in my view of Satan's dealing it is much the same way.
He will push and push and push, he won't simply turn his back on his desire to break you down with a simple response. He is looking to "devour" like a lion. I have never had the misfortune to have to resist a physical lion, but I would bet that the blood hungry, huge, beast wouldn't turn it's back and flee if I looked at it half heartedly and said..."Hey, Mr. Lion, no, I am not interested in fighting you or anything difficult like that, so why don't you please turn around and leave me alone, is that, cool?" Nah, I think I might have a limb missing after a conversation like that.....
So how do I handle a lion that wants to devour me? More than likely I'm going to have to dig in...face him head on, and prove to him that he will not over power me, and that in the end, he will be wasting his energy and effort. After a battle, where he has gained no ground, he will eventually realize the power behind my stance, and give up. Then he will flee. The battle will be over after much intense struggle, and testing to prove that I won't give an inch, not one inch to him. That will not be without work, and pain, and struggle, but in the end......after he flees, I will stand in a place of victory over his schemes.....and will be able to return to fight another day.
"Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12
Got hit pretty hard this morning....so just getting my thought out...hope this encourages!
-J
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