Announcement
While you don’t realize it, I have about 5 blogs going. I’ve decide to consolodate them all.
You can find them here now: http://mww1954.wordpress.com/
Hang out with Him
Well here we go. When I keep company with Him, hang out with Him, I will learn a life of love. He is so extravagant in His love as well. He just showers it down on me. Overwhelms me with it. Slathers it on me.
He is good to me all the time. So if I just hang out with him, it rubs off on me. Mostly what He does is love me. Woo Hoo!! That is good stuff.
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5
Wait for what the Father promised
Jesus told them they had to wait. He didn’t have to. He could have given them the Spirit of God right then and there. But He wanted them to wait. And so they did. And they received the Spirit of God and the power that goes with Him.
He didn’t leave them hanging though. He promised the Spirit would come soon. And He did.
We live in a world where we want everything, and I mean everything, now. We don’t like to wait. Patience is not seen as a virtue.
Here is a clue. God is in control. In His government, He isn’t in a hurry. Sometimes he wants us to wait. Our job is to obey.
As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.” Acts 1:1-5
Alignment
It is God’s goal for me to align my heart with my words in a way that is acceptable to God. I am to love Him and others with all my heart. Do my words reflect that? Does God’s love in my heart cause me to think amazing things and then act in a way that reflects His love?
Beyond what I have to say, is what I am thinking and meditating on acceptable to God?
May I align God’s love in my heart with what I say.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Iron out our differences
We are God’s children. Now think about it. He has forgiven us. How does he want us to act? Does He want us to hold grudges? Does He want us to forgive, iron out our differences and make up?
He has a new way for us and it is not what we think. His goal is for us to love not to hate. In His Spirit, we have the power to live that way. Children can get along. Hard to imagine but it is true.
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding grudges. Phillipians 4:2
A time for all things
Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.
Locusts and wild field honey
John paved the way for Jesus. He set the stage. It is all about life-change. We know we have missed the goal that God is mind for us. We need to make it clear that we understand that. Being baptized with Jesus into death and resurrection gives us a changed life. It is His new plan for us. We can reach God’s goal for us. We don’t have to live a life that misses that. He is in an amaziing mood and gives us this gift simply because He loves us.
Now how great is that?
John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of missing God’s goal for us. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their knowledge of missing God’s goal, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey. Mark 1:4-6
A clean sweep
God has made us a grand promise. And, He is true to His word. We know that we’ve missed God’s goal in our life. He doesn’t see that. He sees Jesus taking that burden off of us. Once we come clean, he completely purges us from that way of seeing things.
I need to remember that and change my mind about how God sees me. I can achieve the goal He has in mind for me. I am His child.
On the other hand, if we admit our we have missed God’s goal for our lives—make a clean breast of that issue—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive us and purge us of all wrongdoing. 1 John 8-10
When I care
I have to get out of myself. Out of what I think is so dadgum important. I have to start being “care-full”. I need to abandon myself to caring. What else really matters?
Isn’t that what I love so much about my Father. He abandoned himself so much that He sent His Son for me. He didn’t hold back any good thing. His gift to me is complete!!
May I be care-full!! May I be cared for.
You’re more than happy when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. Matthew 5:1-12
More boldness and fearless confidence!!!
If Peter was anything, he was nothing but bold. But it seems that he was also asking for more. This boldness came upon him suddenly and he didn’t ignore it.
When I have my eyes on our Master Jesus that is the way it is. Jesus was the same way. He didn’t do anything but what he saw His Father doing. AND we serve a bold God.
May I have more boldness and fearless confidence. Water longs to be walked on again!! God is looking for men and women who are bold and confident in Him.
As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror.But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, “This is it! You are God’s Son for sure!”Matthew 14
Who is running things?
This is stunning. God raised Jesus from the dead and He is in charge of running everything. There is not a single thing that is exempt from His rule. He always has the final word. God is God. He is in charge. His church is His agent on earth carrying out His will. He speaks and acts through us.
So, do I act on this belief daily? Do I conform to what He wants me to do right now?
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. Ephesians 1:20-23
When things are bad
What happens when we trust our own resources to solve the problem? We solve the problem but we don’t see God. Money crisis? Whip out the credit card. Car problem, call AAA. Problem solved but no glory to God there.
Trouble can cause us to trust ourselves or to trust God. And under the right circumstances, to trust Him totally. Now that is a good idea since He is the one who raised Jesus from the dead. And we can trust Him. He will deliver us.
Some times when we think things are so bad it really isn’t. It is an opportunity to trust God. That is what he wants us to do.
We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
My inner being
My heavenly Father is VERY rich. His riches exceed anything I can imagine. They are glorious. Through the power of His Spirit, He can strengthen my inner being. Jesus, the Master, can dwell in my heart. I must have faith to make it happen.
May I have faith and be strengthened in my inner being. May His Spirit stengthen me.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
Does planning help?
Paul knew how to plan. Fortunately, he listened to God and so sometimes was unwilling to follow what he planned so he could do what God wanted. It would have given him personal pleasure to do what he wanted. It didn’t mean that God didn’t want him to see his plans through at some point. It just had to be in God’s good timing and not Paul’s.
The thing to pursue is what God wants on any given day. He has ultimate goals for us and tasks to accomplish every day. That is all that really counts at any given point in time.
Please don’t misinterpret my failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I’ve made plans for Rome. I’ve been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God’s work among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But something has always come up and prevented it. Romans 1:13-15
Crutches?
He didn’t cause anyone to be lame. It was never about character building. There was no lesson to be learned. No patience needed. They came to Him. All the time. He always healed them.
He didn’t give crutches to the lame. He commanded them to stand. They did at His word.
What an amazing God we serve. He makes us whole again.
… the lame came to Him in the temple , and He healed them. Matthew 21:14
Start with God
God offered Solomon anything he wanted. All he asked for was wisdom. God gave it to him. Here is his suggestion so I think I should pay attention to it. Simple advise.
Start with God.
That’s it.
Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Proverbs 1:7
Conditions of obedience?
When I see things from my world, I can fall into the trap that I can “dictate to God” how I want things to happen. God is God and it is only what he wants that matters. Mine is only a issue of hearing His word and obeying.
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience ~Oswald Chambers http://ow.ly/VfjW
Does God feel this way?
I am hoping that God doesn’t feel this way when I pray. I have heard lots of prayers (including my own) that feel this way. It has me thinking for sure. I am wondering for sure.
May my prayers be a conversation (not a monologue) with my Father!!!
“Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of witnesses.” —–Margaret Millar
He isn’t looking for sacrifice
In the old agreement (plan), no matter how many sacrifices were offered, they never added up to a complete solution. And, in church after church today, they still don’t. Way too many sermons on tithing and not enough on how God has all of our money, not just a tenth. So, if sacrifices are a solution, we would go merrily on our way and not hunger for something more. But we don’t. There is more and it is His new plan.
All these rules only make us more aware of how inadequate we are. And that is the point of the message of condemnation. Keeping rules can’t get rid of our missing the goal of trusting Him. Just can’t do it. No way. Jesus said that God didn’t want us to try to keep the old rules. He has a new plan. It isn’t tithing. It isn’t praying in church. It isn’t going to Sunday School. That is the old plan way.
It is a heart set on doing everything God’s way. His government isn’t a democracy. The new plan is based on “Your will be done.” “In my life right now as it is in heaven.” When Jesus said “I am here to do it Your way.”, He set aside the old plan in order to set in motion a new goal. So His sacrifice has made me fit for the new government He has ushered in.
Can I?
Can I Allow God to have complete liberty in my life when I speak? Can I?
Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in me. I must gather my material carefully, and then allow God to “set my words on fire” for His glory.
It starts in my heart.
Moral Confusion
“The urgency to preach the Good News is as true today as it was two thousand years ago, even if some scholars have naïvely declared God to be dead, forgetting that they are dealing with a God who found His way out of the grave…”
—— Roman Catholic Cardinal Ivan Dias implores Anglican Bishops at the Lambeth Conference to stand against “moral confusion.”
No formula
Let’s say you wanted to “learn” how to heal the blind. Who better to “teach” you than Jesus?
So what is the formula? You could have followed Him around. You would have ended up VERY frustrated.
He never did it the same way twice. He spit on one guy. To another He simply spoke the word. Another He touched. To another He made some mud out His spit. To another He kicked a demon out.
No formulas with Jesus. He saw what His Father wanted to have done and did it. For those of us who are big on process, this is a BIG thing.
This is loyalty
Ever heard of Francis Thompson? Young guy, drop out, drug addict, drifter, sometime homeless. Eventually diseased and dead at 48. Probably not the kind of guy you would want to hang out with nor call a friend. And certainly not the kind of guy you would be inclined to be Loyal to.
But right before his death in 1907, Thompson came to know to very the core of his soul what true loyalty was. He expressed it in his poem, “Hound of Heaven.” It begins:
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears I hid from Him,
and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated, Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase, And unperturbéd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat—and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet—
“All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.”
The poem goes on and as Thompson unsuccessfully seeks peace through various human pursuits, he continues to hear, but ignore, the Voice that follows him unfailingly.
The poem, on its surface, is a dark story reflecting Thompson’s lifelong struggles. But beneath the surface, it is truly a Love story. Thompson’s Hound of Heaven is God, our Good and Great God who loves us so much, He follows us through each step of our lives. He is at our side. He is Loyal.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139: 7-14
What is important?
Today’s scripture blew me away. What is important? Not what the economy is doing. Not what I give away. Not what I get. I am bankrupt without love.
That is the focus. Everything needs to come down to this.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
God knows how ….
God knows how to do surgery. He can bring about internal purification. I can trust Him. He is good, all the time.
Is God first in my life? Is He second in my life? Is He third? He wants my only priority?
I need more of that and only that. I can pay that price. He gives me strength.
