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
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuna Fish
What is so wrong with eating Tuna Fish for lunch everyday? At the office, apparently...alot! I figured out a long time ago, that I don't have time to cook, and to eat out every day is about the most expensive thing you can do besides maybe going furniture shopping at Neiman Marcus. So, I developed a solution to solve the problem of cost and convenience.....TUNA FISH. Ever since college, I have been a die hard tuna fan. Where else can you get 20g of Protein for .50? And now, they sell Starkist in pouches that have different flavors mixed in like "Sweet and Sour", "Lemon Pepper" and "Hickory Smoked"...yea, that is right "Hickory Smoked" Tuna..... So, in order to get out of Wal-Mart with lunch for the week, and to save a few bucks....I buy about 10 pouches of tuna for the week. (Two a day).
Well, I have already been given the reputation at work as being the guy that will take any left overs...eat anything, and basically has no shame in all things food. So, here recently everyone has begun to take notice of my tuna eating extravaganza at lunch. Most everyone is sick and tired of smelling sweet and sour tuna fish.....and they are all quick to make a fuss when they see me grab my two separate paper plates in order to put my tuna on (yea, one for hickory smoked, and the other of course, for sweet and sour). But, that is okay. I add a few pieces of wheat bread, and I am getting away with a lunch for about $3.00 (yea the pouches are a tad more expensive than the cans, but hey the opportunity cost that is saved far exceeds the extra $1.00), also there is about 40 grams of protein for lunch right there....and for everyone who has ever tried to stay on a high protein diet, you know that this is most certainly a bargain. So, as I sat here eating my Tuna Fish....and offending everyone in the office, as the guy that always stinks up the place...I decided to document this moment, and give a little encouragement to all the other tuna fans out there!
Well, I have already been given the reputation at work as being the guy that will take any left overs...eat anything, and basically has no shame in all things food. So, here recently everyone has begun to take notice of my tuna eating extravaganza at lunch. Most everyone is sick and tired of smelling sweet and sour tuna fish.....and they are all quick to make a fuss when they see me grab my two separate paper plates in order to put my tuna on (yea, one for hickory smoked, and the other of course, for sweet and sour). But, that is okay. I add a few pieces of wheat bread, and I am getting away with a lunch for about $3.00 (yea the pouches are a tad more expensive than the cans, but hey the opportunity cost that is saved far exceeds the extra $1.00), also there is about 40 grams of protein for lunch right there....and for everyone who has ever tried to stay on a high protein diet, you know that this is most certainly a bargain. So, as I sat here eating my Tuna Fish....and offending everyone in the office, as the guy that always stinks up the place...I decided to document this moment, and give a little encouragement to all the other tuna fans out there!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Keep Stepping Towards the Light
What does it mean to follow Christ?
It means to walk in the light.
What is the limit of the light?
Only the limit WE place on it
We live in a world of darkness. Everything we have ever known before Christ is dark. He is the light. How much do we limit what God can do by the amount of faith we have in Him? If only we could tap into the faith....tap into the flood gate of faith inside. Forget looking around us for understanding of God and His power, and simply take Him on faith. What if our first reaction was to bow our heads and raise our hands? What if our first thought was how He was glorified? What if we ran everything through a filter of pure light? If only we could discipline ourselves to JUDGE EVERYTHING by HIM, and not allow ourselves to let the world dictate to us what He is capable of. How do we get to the place of letting go of our own selfish motivations and limitations we place on the Holy One. How long will we chalk up an experience, a word, a direction, up to coincidence, and realize underneath is Him....the TRUE WORD, which was in the beginning, before everything else.
How do we change out perspective to view everything by Him, HE is the TRUTH, therefore HE is the standard of measurement. Through HIM we gain wisdom, and truth....everything that doesn't line up with HIM is false.
If we would just seek the light....SEEK IT LIKE WE SEEK MONEY, POWER, RESPECT, and countless other worthless endeavors. SEEK THE LIGHT, it is always shining...the question is are we really looking for it? Are we really wanting to find it? Or are we happy placing it in the small compartment in the back of our minds, and trying to forget about it for the sake of the world's standards?
When will we see that HE is the gauge, HE is the perspective, HE is the TRUTH, everything else is false.
Of course, we wouldn't be expected to measure the distance we have traveled in our cars in kilometers, if we had never learned what a kilometer was. If we never had an understanding of the measurement system, there would be no way to understand how to gauge anything by that standard. So how is the problem solved? Learn the standard...truly understand it. Then the ability to gauge by it can occur.
Seek truth...in the the Word. Seek to learn it and understand it. From that a gauge begins to develop from which truth can be measured with understanding.
It means to walk in the light.
What is the limit of the light?
Only the limit WE place on it
We live in a world of darkness. Everything we have ever known before Christ is dark. He is the light. How much do we limit what God can do by the amount of faith we have in Him? If only we could tap into the faith....tap into the flood gate of faith inside. Forget looking around us for understanding of God and His power, and simply take Him on faith. What if our first reaction was to bow our heads and raise our hands? What if our first thought was how He was glorified? What if we ran everything through a filter of pure light? If only we could discipline ourselves to JUDGE EVERYTHING by HIM, and not allow ourselves to let the world dictate to us what He is capable of. How do we get to the place of letting go of our own selfish motivations and limitations we place on the Holy One. How long will we chalk up an experience, a word, a direction, up to coincidence, and realize underneath is Him....the TRUE WORD, which was in the beginning, before everything else.
How do we change out perspective to view everything by Him, HE is the TRUTH, therefore HE is the standard of measurement. Through HIM we gain wisdom, and truth....everything that doesn't line up with HIM is false.
If we would just seek the light....SEEK IT LIKE WE SEEK MONEY, POWER, RESPECT, and countless other worthless endeavors. SEEK THE LIGHT, it is always shining...the question is are we really looking for it? Are we really wanting to find it? Or are we happy placing it in the small compartment in the back of our minds, and trying to forget about it for the sake of the world's standards?
When will we see that HE is the gauge, HE is the perspective, HE is the TRUTH, everything else is false.
Of course, we wouldn't be expected to measure the distance we have traveled in our cars in kilometers, if we had never learned what a kilometer was. If we never had an understanding of the measurement system, there would be no way to understand how to gauge anything by that standard. So how is the problem solved? Learn the standard...truly understand it. Then the ability to gauge by it can occur.
Seek truth...in the the Word. Seek to learn it and understand it. From that a gauge begins to develop from which truth can be measured with understanding.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Rejoice!
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" Philippians 4:4
through the good, the bad, the difficult, the easy, the average, the repitition, the mountain tops, the valley floors, in the day, in the night, while you are driving, while you are working, when you are encouraged, when you are depressed, when you are happy, when you are sad, when you are up, and when you are down, when the sun is shining, when the clouds form, when you are in the storm, when you are beside still waters, when things couldn't be better, and things have never been worse, in the morning, in the evening, in fall, in winter, in spring, in summer, in pain, in suffering, in blessing, in contentment, in joy, in persecution, in quiet times, when surrounded with noise, in the pews of the church, in the grass on a hillside, during floods, during dryness, when the heavens open, when there is a gaping seperation, when we run, when we walk, when we crawl, when others are there, when we are all alone, when we raise our hands, when we bow our heads, during birth, during death........
always does not make exceptions
through the good, the bad, the difficult, the easy, the average, the repitition, the mountain tops, the valley floors, in the day, in the night, while you are driving, while you are working, when you are encouraged, when you are depressed, when you are happy, when you are sad, when you are up, and when you are down, when the sun is shining, when the clouds form, when you are in the storm, when you are beside still waters, when things couldn't be better, and things have never been worse, in the morning, in the evening, in fall, in winter, in spring, in summer, in pain, in suffering, in blessing, in contentment, in joy, in persecution, in quiet times, when surrounded with noise, in the pews of the church, in the grass on a hillside, during floods, during dryness, when the heavens open, when there is a gaping seperation, when we run, when we walk, when we crawl, when others are there, when we are all alone, when we raise our hands, when we bow our heads, during birth, during death........
always does not make exceptions
Monday, January 29, 2007
God is in the Details
The weekend before last, I went on a Winter Retreat with the church to Tyler. It was a great time, and I really felt the Lord was answering many prayers I had prayed over the past few weeks in different situations and circumstances. That being said, after returning home, Leon and I decided to go grab a bite to eat. As we were conversing over the meal, and speaking about many of the things the Lord had shown us during the weekend, the waitress came to refill my water glass. After a pause in the conversation, I lifted it up to take a drink. When I looked back down in order to set my glass down, what did I find? You guessed it, A SMILE! (Can you see it?). I looked up and said, "Leon, look right there", he sat speechless, staring at the perfectly outlined smile. Then he says, "you should take a picture". Well, it just so happened, I had grabbed my jacket, from the truck before we left, (something I very rarely do), and had stuck my camera in the pocket from the trip to Tyler. So, I grabbed it, and took a few shots. We just kind of sat for a little bit, smiling to ourselves, as we saw God in the details that day.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Snow Day!
Well, to my surprise, I woke up this morning and snow was on the ground! To my greater surprise, everyone is really petrified of .00001 inch of snow. Schools are shutting down, people are boarding up their windows (okay not really), and there is absolutely no one on the roads!
I bet that people from Wisconsin laugh at us.
I bet that people from Wisconsin laugh at us.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Faithful
Proverbs 20:6
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
What is it to be faithful?
As a boy growing up, my father instructed me, "Boy, (he used this affectionately), there are three things you need to have as a man; honesty, integrity, and loyalty."
At the time, I didn't realize the truth and wisdom behind this simple statement, but as I walk through life, these three words form a triangle around the center of my heart, and I constantly weigh decisions by how close to the center of the triangle the choice will fall. I think that these three adjectives can be summed up in one word......faithful.
If I strive for faithfulness, the bi-product of decisions usually falls in the middle of the triangle.
To be faithful is to be honest......
It is to determine the ability to meet a commitment before agreeing to take it on. This requires honesty with yourself, and honesty to the person, or project you are committing to. At the same time, there has to be honesty to the one asking for the commitment. The person or project may seem like a perfect fit, but in the end, the choice to proceed with a commitment, may lead to pain and disappointment if the ability to follow through to the end is not accomplished. So, there is a responsibility to be honest to the one asking for the commitment, in order to prevent the hurt that is a repercussion of not finishing what is started.
To be faithful is to be loyal........
How many times have I been excited about a new opportunity or experience, and jumped in with both feet, only to realize that after the newness has worn off, that in the end the expectations I had placed on the experience were far greater than the experience itself. From that I am left facing the choice to remain loyal to the decision, even if there is not an emotional degree of satisfaction that results from continually standing in the place I agreed to stand. A soldier may sign up for the military with expectations of excitement, and tremendous adventure...if after boot camp, they are given an assignment to guard a road which noone ever travels down, they may soon find themselves in a place of discontent, with expectations not being met. But, their loyalty to their commitment is crucial! Leaving their post might result in tremendous consequences in the larger picture of a war which they play a part. The decision becomes a daily commitment to stay where they were placed, even in the cold, the heat, the boredom, the unmet expectations....so that, the war can be won, and those to which they have committed can depend on them to be there.
To be faithful is to be full of integrity.
What do you have if you don't have integrity? Suspicion and distrust. If a previous record of leaving before finishing proceeds you, then more than likely you are not going to be given many future opportunities, which otherwise you would have been given. When others look at you, what do they see? Is it someone they know they can count on, even when things are difficult, and hard? Is it a security that you will bring to a situation by a trust in your desire to fulfill the mission? Without integrity, there is no reason for anyone to trust you.
Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
What is it to be faithful?
As a boy growing up, my father instructed me, "Boy, (he used this affectionately), there are three things you need to have as a man; honesty, integrity, and loyalty."
At the time, I didn't realize the truth and wisdom behind this simple statement, but as I walk through life, these three words form a triangle around the center of my heart, and I constantly weigh decisions by how close to the center of the triangle the choice will fall. I think that these three adjectives can be summed up in one word......faithful.
If I strive for faithfulness, the bi-product of decisions usually falls in the middle of the triangle.
To be faithful is to be honest......
It is to determine the ability to meet a commitment before agreeing to take it on. This requires honesty with yourself, and honesty to the person, or project you are committing to. At the same time, there has to be honesty to the one asking for the commitment. The person or project may seem like a perfect fit, but in the end, the choice to proceed with a commitment, may lead to pain and disappointment if the ability to follow through to the end is not accomplished. So, there is a responsibility to be honest to the one asking for the commitment, in order to prevent the hurt that is a repercussion of not finishing what is started.
To be faithful is to be loyal........
How many times have I been excited about a new opportunity or experience, and jumped in with both feet, only to realize that after the newness has worn off, that in the end the expectations I had placed on the experience were far greater than the experience itself. From that I am left facing the choice to remain loyal to the decision, even if there is not an emotional degree of satisfaction that results from continually standing in the place I agreed to stand. A soldier may sign up for the military with expectations of excitement, and tremendous adventure...if after boot camp, they are given an assignment to guard a road which noone ever travels down, they may soon find themselves in a place of discontent, with expectations not being met. But, their loyalty to their commitment is crucial! Leaving their post might result in tremendous consequences in the larger picture of a war which they play a part. The decision becomes a daily commitment to stay where they were placed, even in the cold, the heat, the boredom, the unmet expectations....so that, the war can be won, and those to which they have committed can depend on them to be there.
To be faithful is to be full of integrity.
What do you have if you don't have integrity? Suspicion and distrust. If a previous record of leaving before finishing proceeds you, then more than likely you are not going to be given many future opportunities, which otherwise you would have been given. When others look at you, what do they see? Is it someone they know they can count on, even when things are difficult, and hard? Is it a security that you will bring to a situation by a trust in your desire to fulfill the mission? Without integrity, there is no reason for anyone to trust you.
Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Kirk Franklin
Yes, I am a white guy that listens to Kirk Franklin.....Who is this? My description is a contemporary gospel singer, but I don't know if that is actually a genre of music.
What's interesting to me is that worship music can come in so many forms, and in reality they all convey the same message: to glrofiy the Lord. What other type of music has such a common denominator? None. Christian music ranges everywhere from Contemporary to Christian Rock to Gospel to Bluegrass and even Christian Hip-Hop!
Even with different sounds and rhythms, under it all, the message is the same...exalting the Lord for His work in the lives of those singing, and encouraging the Saints through exaltation. So, yes, I listen to Kirk Franklin, Toby Mac, Newsboys, Flame, Michael W. Smith, Switchfoot, Prestonwood Choir, Jars of Clay, the Celtic Christian Radio station, and the list goes on and on and on.....
Like each of us are made to look different, have different talents and gifts, and are given a different path and cross to carry, in the end it's all about our heart, and love for Him. The same goes with the plethora of music out there. Is there a heart behind the music trying to poor out in praise to God, and exalt Him? Is there a testimony of encouragement about how the Lord has changed a life, or how he has been faithful through the darkest hour? If so, then our hearts can join in and worship, no matter the rhythm, or instruments, or sounds used.
My place serving the Lord looks different than other believers all around me, just as theirs looks different than mine. I don't perform the function as a missionary in Africa does. I may not ever be used as a missionary, or may never stand in front of 1000's to give a sermon like some of my brothers, but in the end my purpose is just as important to the Lord, just as every believers purpose is important. What is the common denominator amoung us all, no matter what our job is in the kingdom? Our heart for the Lord. When our hearts are all focused on glorifying Him, we make sweet harmony no matter what instrument, or type of singing voice we have. There is perfect outer harmony that flows out from the body of Christ, when the inner hearts of the individual genres get together and focus everything on the one thing which deserves all of our singing and praise...Jesus.
What's interesting to me is that worship music can come in so many forms, and in reality they all convey the same message: to glrofiy the Lord. What other type of music has such a common denominator? None. Christian music ranges everywhere from Contemporary to Christian Rock to Gospel to Bluegrass and even Christian Hip-Hop!
Even with different sounds and rhythms, under it all, the message is the same...exalting the Lord for His work in the lives of those singing, and encouraging the Saints through exaltation. So, yes, I listen to Kirk Franklin, Toby Mac, Newsboys, Flame, Michael W. Smith, Switchfoot, Prestonwood Choir, Jars of Clay, the Celtic Christian Radio station, and the list goes on and on and on.....
Like each of us are made to look different, have different talents and gifts, and are given a different path and cross to carry, in the end it's all about our heart, and love for Him. The same goes with the plethora of music out there. Is there a heart behind the music trying to poor out in praise to God, and exalt Him? Is there a testimony of encouragement about how the Lord has changed a life, or how he has been faithful through the darkest hour? If so, then our hearts can join in and worship, no matter the rhythm, or instruments, or sounds used.
My place serving the Lord looks different than other believers all around me, just as theirs looks different than mine. I don't perform the function as a missionary in Africa does. I may not ever be used as a missionary, or may never stand in front of 1000's to give a sermon like some of my brothers, but in the end my purpose is just as important to the Lord, just as every believers purpose is important. What is the common denominator amoung us all, no matter what our job is in the kingdom? Our heart for the Lord. When our hearts are all focused on glorifying Him, we make sweet harmony no matter what instrument, or type of singing voice we have. There is perfect outer harmony that flows out from the body of Christ, when the inner hearts of the individual genres get together and focus everything on the one thing which deserves all of our singing and praise...Jesus.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Everyone is Different...Therefore Everyone is Special
I am what you would call, an "emotional guy". The bottom line is that I wear my emotions on my sleeve for all the world to see. It took me many years to come to terms with this, and realize that it truly is how the Lord created me. When I accepted that I was not the type to hold in everything, my life became much easier, and I had much more peace in my view of myself and the world around me.
One thing I am learning is that each person is unique. God created them in the exact way He wanted, and gave them the specific characteristics that make them who they are. I think that many times, one of the largest barriers we have with others is that we try to figure others out, based on the perspective of life that we have. When we view a response from another person that we can't understand, most of the time we view that action as being in some way incorrect. (Even if we don't outwardly say it). As I walk through life, I am trying more and more to try to acquire the understanding of the perspective of the people around me. How do I do this? Well, as I mentioned when I first started writing, I am what you would call a tad bit emotional, from that I must realize that the majority of those I am around will not have as much emotion coming into play when they deal with a decision. Therefore, the rational, and thought process that they face when coming to decision will be different than mine. While I can probably relate to the having to make a certain decision, there is probably not much of a common ground when it comes to the way the mind works while forming the final conclusion. What does all this mean in simple language?
Honestly, I don't really know, but in the end one thing I am sure of is that the Lord created everyone unique. There has never been anyone He created, or that He will create that will take your place in His eyes. His relationship with you, is His relationship with you, it is special to Him, unique to Him, and the way in which he relates to you is different and unique from the way He relates to anyone else ever made! How Awesome is that. As the old saying goes, "He meets us where we are at", but he also walks with us to the place where he wants us to go.
With all that being said, the thought of how important each person is to God, makes me respect them, and their uniqueness all the more. They were created to serve a special purpose for the Lord that only they can serve, and He loves them so much that He died for them. Shouldn't I have a similar attitude for anyone and everyone on this Earth? Shouldn't I try to respect them for how God created them, even if it doesn't make much sense to me? After all, the Lord loves them perfectly, just how they were created, and He finds a tremendous amount of beauty in the way they think, act, and make decisions.
One thing I am learning is that each person is unique. God created them in the exact way He wanted, and gave them the specific characteristics that make them who they are. I think that many times, one of the largest barriers we have with others is that we try to figure others out, based on the perspective of life that we have. When we view a response from another person that we can't understand, most of the time we view that action as being in some way incorrect. (Even if we don't outwardly say it). As I walk through life, I am trying more and more to try to acquire the understanding of the perspective of the people around me. How do I do this? Well, as I mentioned when I first started writing, I am what you would call a tad bit emotional, from that I must realize that the majority of those I am around will not have as much emotion coming into play when they deal with a decision. Therefore, the rational, and thought process that they face when coming to decision will be different than mine. While I can probably relate to the having to make a certain decision, there is probably not much of a common ground when it comes to the way the mind works while forming the final conclusion. What does all this mean in simple language?
Honestly, I don't really know, but in the end one thing I am sure of is that the Lord created everyone unique. There has never been anyone He created, or that He will create that will take your place in His eyes. His relationship with you, is His relationship with you, it is special to Him, unique to Him, and the way in which he relates to you is different and unique from the way He relates to anyone else ever made! How Awesome is that. As the old saying goes, "He meets us where we are at", but he also walks with us to the place where he wants us to go.
With all that being said, the thought of how important each person is to God, makes me respect them, and their uniqueness all the more. They were created to serve a special purpose for the Lord that only they can serve, and He loves them so much that He died for them. Shouldn't I have a similar attitude for anyone and everyone on this Earth? Shouldn't I try to respect them for how God created them, even if it doesn't make much sense to me? After all, the Lord loves them perfectly, just how they were created, and He finds a tremendous amount of beauty in the way they think, act, and make decisions.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Distractions, Distractions, Distractions
Could it be that we supplement our lives with constant distractions, in order to ignore the pain that pulses through our veins every hour of every day? Could it be that we have been born into a society and culture that has brain washed us into believing that there is no such thing as "peace"? Could it be that we actually believe that in the end the only hope we have of making it is by finding something with which we can drown out the constant barrage of painful thoughts, emotions, and hurts that have been built up over a quarter century of life? Could it be that our hearts, souls and minds are filled to overflowing with hollow promises of materialism, prosperity, and the self-made man/woman mentality?
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2
Everywhere you turn there is something to distract you from facing your pain. Television, Internet, movies, shopping, radio, and on and on and on. Why on Earth would would we ever want to SIT STILL and WAIT and LISTEN to that "still small voice", when there are so many other so called "interesting and fun things" to get our mind off of our own pitiful existence? We don't feel the need to be saved, when in the end we have the ability to convince ourselves that we are really not that bad off......I mean we have all the advantages in the World! We are the "me" generation. We have seen technology advance beyond our parents wildest imagination. Space has been explored, the Cold War has ended, we have the strongest, richest, and most prosperous nation under the sun, and we are in line to be the next generation of leaders. Why on Earth would we want to take time to stop, be still, and listen to something that may actually point out to us that we are not that which we have convinced ourselves that we are? We might find that in reality all that we have is not from us, by us, or for us,...we might find out that we in the end our not the one's in control, we might find out that everything does not revolve around what we "feel" is right, and that there is no such thing as relativism!
The ironic thing about all of this is that our souls have been crying out to us to find PEACE, and through all of the distractions with which we have searched to find it, we have in the end only found more chaos. In all the running, and searching, we have become convinced that there is only a partial glimpse of peace that can be found on this Earth, and that the best we can do is distract ourselves from facing the reality of our finite existence.
There is a place where peace can be found.
There is hope.
The only thing you need to overcome is yourself.
Start over, learning the truth about the one thing you have always fooled yourself into thinking would not be the answer.
Begin in the beginning...John 1:1
Jesus is the word.
The word made flesh.
He is just as much alive today as he was prior to his crucifixion.
Do you know who he is?
Or do you just convince yourself you do?
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
He is the Prince of Peace.
He can't be found in the television, movies, shopping, Internet, or any other place that you may turn to for peace from your hurt.
He is found in His Word.
The simple book that has been around much longer than you, and which will abide forever. The little book that for so many years you have ignored, and said you would read someday.
Where is the peace? Where is true freedom? Where is God's will for your life? The same place it has always been...in his word.
The Simple, but Perfect Word of God.
"The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"
Jeremiah 17:9
Are you going to trust your own heart? It will deceive you. Truth is from God, and is eternal and perfect. The only way to know it, is to seek it. It does not change. It changes what it touches.
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2
Everywhere you turn there is something to distract you from facing your pain. Television, Internet, movies, shopping, radio, and on and on and on. Why on Earth would would we ever want to SIT STILL and WAIT and LISTEN to that "still small voice", when there are so many other so called "interesting and fun things" to get our mind off of our own pitiful existence? We don't feel the need to be saved, when in the end we have the ability to convince ourselves that we are really not that bad off......I mean we have all the advantages in the World! We are the "me" generation. We have seen technology advance beyond our parents wildest imagination. Space has been explored, the Cold War has ended, we have the strongest, richest, and most prosperous nation under the sun, and we are in line to be the next generation of leaders. Why on Earth would we want to take time to stop, be still, and listen to something that may actually point out to us that we are not that which we have convinced ourselves that we are? We might find that in reality all that we have is not from us, by us, or for us,...we might find out that we in the end our not the one's in control, we might find out that everything does not revolve around what we "feel" is right, and that there is no such thing as relativism!
The ironic thing about all of this is that our souls have been crying out to us to find PEACE, and through all of the distractions with which we have searched to find it, we have in the end only found more chaos. In all the running, and searching, we have become convinced that there is only a partial glimpse of peace that can be found on this Earth, and that the best we can do is distract ourselves from facing the reality of our finite existence.
There is a place where peace can be found.
There is hope.
The only thing you need to overcome is yourself.
Start over, learning the truth about the one thing you have always fooled yourself into thinking would not be the answer.
Begin in the beginning...John 1:1
Jesus is the word.
The word made flesh.
He is just as much alive today as he was prior to his crucifixion.
Do you know who he is?
Or do you just convince yourself you do?
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
He is the Prince of Peace.
He can't be found in the television, movies, shopping, Internet, or any other place that you may turn to for peace from your hurt.
He is found in His Word.
The simple book that has been around much longer than you, and which will abide forever. The little book that for so many years you have ignored, and said you would read someday.
Where is the peace? Where is true freedom? Where is God's will for your life? The same place it has always been...in his word.
The Simple, but Perfect Word of God.
"The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"
Jeremiah 17:9
Are you going to trust your own heart? It will deceive you. Truth is from God, and is eternal and perfect. The only way to know it, is to seek it. It does not change. It changes what it touches.
Monday, December 11, 2006
One Awesome Weekend
After two months of planning, coordinating, and praying, Dallas One has arrived and left. Saturday was an incredible day of service, fellowship, and worship with over 500 young singles from the DFW metroplex participating.(Over 60 churches were represented).
My day began at 8:00 am, when I stopped in to get Krispy Kremes for my team mates. I then proceeded down to meet my team for a few hours of work, before I had to head off to manage the other teams I was responsible for. At about 12:00, the other teams started on their projects, and from that moment on, I was in trouble shooting mode. The one thing I strongly remember about the many details that needed to be addressed, was the amazing way that the Lord seemed to work them out right in front of my eyes. I probably received 25 phone calls within about a 20 minute span, and they all seemed to be addressed within an hour or two.
While I could go into detail after detail, I feel the best thing to write about is the amazing take aways from the day.
1. It was a very powerful day of worship through service, there were many who were blessed through the tremendous efforts of young singles from all over DFW.
2. The Body of Christ was reaching out and showing love to hundreds of people in hundreds of ways.
3. The stereotypical "slacker generation" label was proven 100% inappropriate for the labeling of this group of generation x'ers.
4. It was one of those days in your life you know you will never forget.
Thank you for all the prayers and support. Life has suddenly slowed down quite drastically, and I should be able to post with more frequency now.
My day began at 8:00 am, when I stopped in to get Krispy Kremes for my team mates. I then proceeded down to meet my team for a few hours of work, before I had to head off to manage the other teams I was responsible for. At about 12:00, the other teams started on their projects, and from that moment on, I was in trouble shooting mode. The one thing I strongly remember about the many details that needed to be addressed, was the amazing way that the Lord seemed to work them out right in front of my eyes. I probably received 25 phone calls within about a 20 minute span, and they all seemed to be addressed within an hour or two.
While I could go into detail after detail, I feel the best thing to write about is the amazing take aways from the day.
1. It was a very powerful day of worship through service, there were many who were blessed through the tremendous efforts of young singles from all over DFW.
2. The Body of Christ was reaching out and showing love to hundreds of people in hundreds of ways.
3. The stereotypical "slacker generation" label was proven 100% inappropriate for the labeling of this group of generation x'ers.
4. It was one of those days in your life you know you will never forget.
Thank you for all the prayers and support. Life has suddenly slowed down quite drastically, and I should be able to post with more frequency now.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Marriage Anyone?
Think about this. Women are naturally emotional creatures, I don't think that many will argue with that, and men are naturally logical. Lets think on that for a bit:
In the marriage covenant, the Lord places a woman (emotionally driven), with a man (logic driven). Could it be that the woman is representing the unconditional love (although far from perfect), that the Lord shows for us as we mess up over, and over again, and the man to represent his righteous judgment (an even farther from perfection model, but hey this is a fallen world and perfection is going to come on the other side of eternity)?
Now let me break this down:
A woman has a tendency, being the more emotional partner, to be able to hold on to a relationship through many mistakes and hurts inflicted by the male counterpart. Her emotion drives her ability (while at times to get incredibly upset) to also be able, and desire to, reconcile after the painful emotions have subsided. Reversing many of the instances of conflict would probably result in a man leaving and not returning. So, the woman in the end is given a more natural ability to "love", through hurt, pain, suffering, due to the gifts of her emotions. This is a (while at many times muddy mirrored) view to the world of the unconditional and perfect love that Christ gives us.
The man, on the other hand, is given to more of a logical (black and white) vantage point, and from that could be seen as representing the righteous judgment (and like I said, this may in the end, be an even muddier mirrored image) of the Lord to us. A man, more often than not does not let the emotion of the hurt interfere with the justice of the outcome of the incident, ie they can agree to disagree, and also want to punish the opposite side of the equation because in the fallen state of mind they view it as a "just" response. On the positive side, this logical side gives the world a view of how the Lord deals with our actions, with emotion being set aside, there are certain consequences that He allows us to face due to our attitude of sin.
Now lets go even deeper,
In Ephesians 5, God calls men to love their wives as Christ loves the church. This is in all actuallity the complete opposite of the natural way they are created. It lines up much more towards the disposition of woman.
Woman, on the other hand, is called to submit to her husband, as to the Lord, once again, completely opposite of her natural ability, due to the uncontrollable emotions, and desire to love that drives her. This command is much more representative of something that a man naturally does. How? A man, by seeing logic, understands that when someone is put in leadership above them, it is logical to follow because of the position they were given, thus respect is a natural by-product of the position given.
So lets tie it all together. Women naturally are given the ability to reflect the unconditional love of Christ, and men given the ability to reflect the judgement of Christ. We are then given to each other in marriage, and commanded to work on doing the exact opposite of what we naturally are able to do. Now does anyone else see the sanctification at work in this process? No wonder marriage is hard right? No wonder it is also fulfilling! Within the confines of marriage, we are able to exploit our natural tendency (which is the easiest thing in the world for us to do), and at the same time, are constantly being taught how to grow in the opposite of that, the most unnatural thing in the world!(which is one of the hardest things to do!).
Marriage is certainly a "mystery" as Paul writes, but what an amazing thing?
In the marriage covenant, the Lord places a woman (emotionally driven), with a man (logic driven). Could it be that the woman is representing the unconditional love (although far from perfect), that the Lord shows for us as we mess up over, and over again, and the man to represent his righteous judgment (an even farther from perfection model, but hey this is a fallen world and perfection is going to come on the other side of eternity)?
Now let me break this down:
A woman has a tendency, being the more emotional partner, to be able to hold on to a relationship through many mistakes and hurts inflicted by the male counterpart. Her emotion drives her ability (while at times to get incredibly upset) to also be able, and desire to, reconcile after the painful emotions have subsided. Reversing many of the instances of conflict would probably result in a man leaving and not returning. So, the woman in the end is given a more natural ability to "love", through hurt, pain, suffering, due to the gifts of her emotions. This is a (while at many times muddy mirrored) view to the world of the unconditional and perfect love that Christ gives us.
The man, on the other hand, is given to more of a logical (black and white) vantage point, and from that could be seen as representing the righteous judgment (and like I said, this may in the end, be an even muddier mirrored image) of the Lord to us. A man, more often than not does not let the emotion of the hurt interfere with the justice of the outcome of the incident, ie they can agree to disagree, and also want to punish the opposite side of the equation because in the fallen state of mind they view it as a "just" response. On the positive side, this logical side gives the world a view of how the Lord deals with our actions, with emotion being set aside, there are certain consequences that He allows us to face due to our attitude of sin.
Now lets go even deeper,
In Ephesians 5, God calls men to love their wives as Christ loves the church. This is in all actuallity the complete opposite of the natural way they are created. It lines up much more towards the disposition of woman.
Woman, on the other hand, is called to submit to her husband, as to the Lord, once again, completely opposite of her natural ability, due to the uncontrollable emotions, and desire to love that drives her. This command is much more representative of something that a man naturally does. How? A man, by seeing logic, understands that when someone is put in leadership above them, it is logical to follow because of the position they were given, thus respect is a natural by-product of the position given.
So lets tie it all together. Women naturally are given the ability to reflect the unconditional love of Christ, and men given the ability to reflect the judgement of Christ. We are then given to each other in marriage, and commanded to work on doing the exact opposite of what we naturally are able to do. Now does anyone else see the sanctification at work in this process? No wonder marriage is hard right? No wonder it is also fulfilling! Within the confines of marriage, we are able to exploit our natural tendency (which is the easiest thing in the world for us to do), and at the same time, are constantly being taught how to grow in the opposite of that, the most unnatural thing in the world!(which is one of the hardest things to do!).
Marriage is certainly a "mystery" as Paul writes, but what an amazing thing?
Monday, November 20, 2006
I'm definetly turning into an old man
Okay, for most of my life, various people have referred to me as "old man", this occurred for different reasons at different times: I was always much taller than the kids my age in elementary school, I always went to bed early and studied all the time during high school and college, and lately, well lately, people just call me "weird" most of the time.
This morning, for the first time, in my almost 26 years on this Earth can I say that I actually started feeling the physical effects of growing older.....
Yesterday at church was the young singles second annual Turkey Bowl, and for those of you unfamiliar, this is a large flag football competition between the different young singles classes at P-Wood. While yesterday I had a great time running around, jumping, trying grab the football out of the hands of the offense, the effects of all that movement reared their ugly head as I awoke out of a peaceful sleep and began to get ready for work.
When the alarm clock sounded, I opened my eyes and realized that my legs were certainly not working as they normally do, as I rolled over to hit the alarm clock my world was shaken by the intensity of the stiffness in my lower body. "AAAHHHH! my legs are soar!", I yelled out to the birds that annoyingly perch outside my bedroom window! I got out of bed, and hobbled around the rest of the morning getting ready, (getting my clothes on for work was quite the adventure). As I stepped out of the house, it occurred to me, the old body, although never really close to athletic excellence in the past, certainly ain't what it used to be! I kind of smiled to myself, and the thought crossed my mind, "Whelp, I guess it's time that the phrase "old man", started being applied to your physical condition, as well as your mental condition! It's all down hill from here!" haha.
Side note, I have actually experienced pain shooting through muscles that I didn't even know existed today.......do you have a muscle close to your spleen? If not, then something is certainly majorly wrong! hahaha
This morning, for the first time, in my almost 26 years on this Earth can I say that I actually started feeling the physical effects of growing older.....
Yesterday at church was the young singles second annual Turkey Bowl, and for those of you unfamiliar, this is a large flag football competition between the different young singles classes at P-Wood. While yesterday I had a great time running around, jumping, trying grab the football out of the hands of the offense, the effects of all that movement reared their ugly head as I awoke out of a peaceful sleep and began to get ready for work.
When the alarm clock sounded, I opened my eyes and realized that my legs were certainly not working as they normally do, as I rolled over to hit the alarm clock my world was shaken by the intensity of the stiffness in my lower body. "AAAHHHH! my legs are soar!", I yelled out to the birds that annoyingly perch outside my bedroom window! I got out of bed, and hobbled around the rest of the morning getting ready, (getting my clothes on for work was quite the adventure). As I stepped out of the house, it occurred to me, the old body, although never really close to athletic excellence in the past, certainly ain't what it used to be! I kind of smiled to myself, and the thought crossed my mind, "Whelp, I guess it's time that the phrase "old man", started being applied to your physical condition, as well as your mental condition! It's all down hill from here!" haha.
Side note, I have actually experienced pain shooting through muscles that I didn't even know existed today.......do you have a muscle close to your spleen? If not, then something is certainly majorly wrong! hahaha
Thursday, November 09, 2006
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