“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly without complexities or pride. I love you because I know no other way then this. So close that your hand, on my chest, is my hand. So close, that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep.”
Patch Adams
When Robin Williams said this in the movie by the same title, I was in awe. This is exactly how I feel (most of the time) concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Every time I read this quote it sends shivers down my spine and brings a tear to my eye (eyes).
This was a wonderful movie and although a little weird in parts, as a whole a very good movie. It’s about a non-conformist named Patch who, after some mental difficulties, decides to become a medical doctor. His thought process is that Hospitals have lost there connection with there patients, all they do is treat diseases. Patch doesn’t believe all that, and tries to change it by treating the patient through humor and being friendly.
Treating the patient and not the disease, WOW!!! You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome. We should be improving the quality of life, not just delaying death.
What's wrong with death? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and love, and decency, maybe even humor. Death is not the enemy, if we're going to fight disease, let's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all, indifference.
What’s this entire thing have to do with my inside job???
Not conforming to this world!
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
When I was growing up, my father was a very determined man. He played football in High School and College and expected all 4 of his son’s to do the same. I was a non conformist; I had absolutely no interest in playing football. In my child’s mind, I was being pressured to do something that I didn’t want to do. I rebelled in my own way, I joined the soccer team.
This angered my father to no end and he constantly berated me for it. Did I play soccer because I loved it or to get back at my father? Both, I actually grew very fond of the game. My father didn’t support me in soccer; never went to my practices/games; I purchased my own equipment and even had to find my own ride to the field.
This didn’t bother me at all and I actually enjoyed doing it myself. I may have not been treated like the rest of my brothers but I enjoyed beating my own drum. No pun intended, I did play percussion in the band. That was another attempt at being a non-conforming son and that’s another story.
Little did I know, I started my walk towards being like Jesus. The Jewish priests saw these Christians, believers of the Lord Jesus Christ as disobedient non-conforming Jews. I’ll go with being disobedient!
“Sometimes the reward for non-conforming is joy in what you are doing and loving yourself.”
So, where am I going with this? It’s simply better to break out of prison after you realize you’re locked up. I realized the mold my father was trying to put me in early in life and refused to conform to his way of thinking. I’m not saying all fathers have bad intentions or that he was wrong in wanting me to play football. Rebelling against your parents is not a good idea.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Col 3:20-21 (KJV)
The 20th verse of Colossians is simple biblical truth; we are to obey our parents. Most of us want to please the Lord and in this lays the key. We must obey our fathers for he is the Head of the family just as Christ is the head of the church.
In the 21st verse he speaks of not provoking our children to anger. When my father asked me to play football it wasn’t a request but an order.
Ephesians 6:2 (KJV)
I have long since forgiven my father but never had the chance to tell him. We all make mistakes in life, causing wounds and scars to form and miss out on certain joys and love given to us. We move on, heal and learn from our mistakes.
If we keep doing things like we've always done them, what we'll get is what we've already got.
Being a non-conformist is not a bad thing as long as the true and living Word of God is what your living by daily. Remember, only dead fish swim with the stream.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Listening...
Listening...
A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. 'I'd love to be eight again' she replied. On the morning of her birthday, he arose early and made her a bowl of Coco Pops and milk!
He took her to Busch Gardens and put her on every ride in the park.
Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park. Her head was
reeling and her stomach felt upside down.
Right away they journeyed to a McDonalds where her loving husband ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate milk shake. Then it was off to the movies: the latest children’s three hour cartoon show, a hot dog, popcorn, all the Coke she could drink, her favorite lollipop and M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed onto the bed exhausted. He leaned over his precious wife with a big smile and
lovingly asked 'Well dear, what was it like being eight again?' Her eyes
slowly opened and her expression changed to one of total
realization...'I meant my dress size, silly!
The moral of this story:
Even when one is listening, we can still get it wrong
These past couple weeks the Pastor has been sharing on Parenting. Boy, did I need to hear this. It hurt so well! Sometimes, I think our Senior Pastor sends out these investigators to see what I need correction in. Of course this isn’t the truth, but he does have an inside connection… God!!!
Which brings me to this weeks inside job, our inside connection. When I was first saved and water baptized in Christ, my thoughts were on my invincibility. Nothing seemed to faze me; nothing seemed to need correction; I not only read my bible everyday but many times a day. I prayed whenever I thought about my faith. I fervently researched the word and it’s truths.
2 Tim 2:15 (KJV) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Yes, that was my theme verse, I wanted to be approved by researching the word of truth. I continued in this manner for a few years walking with my head held high thinking nothing could harm me. I should have studied Ephesians 6 a little closer, you think?
I was knocked down off my horse, and I saw it coming. At the time I was sharing a Townhouse with another Christian Man and great friend. Within our study group, there was a married lady, will call her Ann, attended regularly without her husband. It was a mixed group and we all had our specific prayer partners, mine being my roommate.
Not long after our group had left for the evening, Ann called and I had answered the phone. Seems her husband was taken to Jail for abusing her which she stated was the actual fact. She was in the hospital being taken care of and would be released soon. She was hoping her prayer partner hadn’t left the house yet since she couldn’t reach her on the phone.
To make a long story short, I got a hold of her partner and we both went and picked her up. My first mistake was allowing her to stay in my home for fear her husband would get out of jail quickly. I know… I didn’t think it through. Even still, everything went fine and she went to work the next day.
She worked as an Operator for a Live Phone Answering company and she worked the second shift. She stayed with us for a week when one night she called the house and said her car wouldn’t start, and could I give her a ride home. This is where the 2nd and biggest mistake began.
It’s often been stated that God may speak to us in a “still, small, voice”. God spoke to me concerning picking her up from work and it wasn’t a still small voice. He spoke loudly to me… not to go! If anybody else was in the house with me, anywhere in the house; they would have heard it too. I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors on the next block had heard it.
Did I listen… nope. Call it ignorance; selective hearing; I had a one track mind. I was determined to help my friend. I got into my car and it wouldn’t start, so I had the neighbor give me a jump start. Curious enough, I had never had a starting problem with this car before.
Upon getting to her employment place, I sat and waited for her outside. There are a couple things that may be helpful in understanding this situation. Where she works was a high security area, I wasn’t allowed inside the building. The building was positioned in the back of a Business Park which sat next to a wooded park.
As I sat in my car, I noticed movement to my right. That is just before he broke my driver side window. He had a coat hanger straightened out that he wrapped around my neck and attempted to pull me from the car, through the window. It was my quick reaction that I was able to insert my hand between the coat hanger and my throat.
When he realized he couldn’t pull me out, he took a stick that he had sharpened to a point and attempted to gouge my neck with it. Apparently the stick was to dry and broke in the process. This seemed to infuriate this person and he grabbed me by the shoulders and finally managed to pull me out the window.
Recognition finally came to me as I saw that it was Ann’s husband. Apparently he had finally been released and he came looking for her. This is also when I found out her husband was a trained Martial Artist. As he punched and kicked me repeatedly, besides attempting to defend myself, I prayed. (This is probably a good place to tell you that I wasn’t trained in martial arts. Where was Mr. Miyagi when you need him?)
God did answer my prayer, and 5 minutes before the Police arrived, he stopped beating on me. He picked me up off the ground, set me down on the curb, and then sat and talked to me. His wife had seen the commotion and called 911.
As the Police arrived, they took one look at me, called for an ambulance and arrested him. In the ambulance, the only thing I remember is the Medical person asked me what I did to warrant such a beating. I believe I said, “I didn’t listen to God!”
There is more to this God story but I think you get the picture. Even though God told me not to go, he was still there for me. I’m not sure what would have happened if I listened but I do know what happened when I didn’t.
(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God ;) he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee…
Deut 4:31 (KJV)
All this happened 25 years ago and to say it didn’t change my life would be nothing more than exaggeration. I still have the same excitement/passion that I had back then but I also learned a very valuable lesson. I was thinking of myself during this time, trying to perfect my spirituality, like that could be achieved.
I would say the experience opened my eyes to listening to the Lord more effectively. There is no moral to the story, morals are man’s idea. I will say this though; God is with you always, even when we don’t listen. When we listen with full awareness in the moment, the quality of listening becomes a quality of loving. And when we listen to God, or more specifically, listen to God’s will for us, we can cultivate a more satisfying and loving experience of life.
Can you remember a time when God was there for you even when you didn’t listen?
A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. 'I'd love to be eight again' she replied. On the morning of her birthday, he arose early and made her a bowl of Coco Pops and milk!
He took her to Busch Gardens and put her on every ride in the park.
Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park. Her head was
reeling and her stomach felt upside down.
Right away they journeyed to a McDonalds where her loving husband ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate milk shake. Then it was off to the movies: the latest children’s three hour cartoon show, a hot dog, popcorn, all the Coke she could drink, her favorite lollipop and M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed onto the bed exhausted. He leaned over his precious wife with a big smile and
lovingly asked 'Well dear, what was it like being eight again?' Her eyes
slowly opened and her expression changed to one of total
realization...'I meant my dress size, silly!
The moral of this story:
Even when one is listening, we can still get it wrong
These past couple weeks the Pastor has been sharing on Parenting. Boy, did I need to hear this. It hurt so well! Sometimes, I think our Senior Pastor sends out these investigators to see what I need correction in. Of course this isn’t the truth, but he does have an inside connection… God!!!
Which brings me to this weeks inside job, our inside connection. When I was first saved and water baptized in Christ, my thoughts were on my invincibility. Nothing seemed to faze me; nothing seemed to need correction; I not only read my bible everyday but many times a day. I prayed whenever I thought about my faith. I fervently researched the word and it’s truths.
2 Tim 2:15 (KJV) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Yes, that was my theme verse, I wanted to be approved by researching the word of truth. I continued in this manner for a few years walking with my head held high thinking nothing could harm me. I should have studied Ephesians 6 a little closer, you think?
I was knocked down off my horse, and I saw it coming. At the time I was sharing a Townhouse with another Christian Man and great friend. Within our study group, there was a married lady, will call her Ann, attended regularly without her husband. It was a mixed group and we all had our specific prayer partners, mine being my roommate.
Not long after our group had left for the evening, Ann called and I had answered the phone. Seems her husband was taken to Jail for abusing her which she stated was the actual fact. She was in the hospital being taken care of and would be released soon. She was hoping her prayer partner hadn’t left the house yet since she couldn’t reach her on the phone.
To make a long story short, I got a hold of her partner and we both went and picked her up. My first mistake was allowing her to stay in my home for fear her husband would get out of jail quickly. I know… I didn’t think it through. Even still, everything went fine and she went to work the next day.
She worked as an Operator for a Live Phone Answering company and she worked the second shift. She stayed with us for a week when one night she called the house and said her car wouldn’t start, and could I give her a ride home. This is where the 2nd and biggest mistake began.
It’s often been stated that God may speak to us in a “still, small, voice”. God spoke to me concerning picking her up from work and it wasn’t a still small voice. He spoke loudly to me… not to go! If anybody else was in the house with me, anywhere in the house; they would have heard it too. I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors on the next block had heard it.
Did I listen… nope. Call it ignorance; selective hearing; I had a one track mind. I was determined to help my friend. I got into my car and it wouldn’t start, so I had the neighbor give me a jump start. Curious enough, I had never had a starting problem with this car before.
Upon getting to her employment place, I sat and waited for her outside. There are a couple things that may be helpful in understanding this situation. Where she works was a high security area, I wasn’t allowed inside the building. The building was positioned in the back of a Business Park which sat next to a wooded park.
As I sat in my car, I noticed movement to my right. That is just before he broke my driver side window. He had a coat hanger straightened out that he wrapped around my neck and attempted to pull me from the car, through the window. It was my quick reaction that I was able to insert my hand between the coat hanger and my throat.
When he realized he couldn’t pull me out, he took a stick that he had sharpened to a point and attempted to gouge my neck with it. Apparently the stick was to dry and broke in the process. This seemed to infuriate this person and he grabbed me by the shoulders and finally managed to pull me out the window.
Recognition finally came to me as I saw that it was Ann’s husband. Apparently he had finally been released and he came looking for her. This is also when I found out her husband was a trained Martial Artist. As he punched and kicked me repeatedly, besides attempting to defend myself, I prayed. (This is probably a good place to tell you that I wasn’t trained in martial arts. Where was Mr. Miyagi when you need him?)
God did answer my prayer, and 5 minutes before the Police arrived, he stopped beating on me. He picked me up off the ground, set me down on the curb, and then sat and talked to me. His wife had seen the commotion and called 911.
As the Police arrived, they took one look at me, called for an ambulance and arrested him. In the ambulance, the only thing I remember is the Medical person asked me what I did to warrant such a beating. I believe I said, “I didn’t listen to God!”
There is more to this God story but I think you get the picture. Even though God told me not to go, he was still there for me. I’m not sure what would have happened if I listened but I do know what happened when I didn’t.
(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God ;) he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee…
Deut 4:31 (KJV)
All this happened 25 years ago and to say it didn’t change my life would be nothing more than exaggeration. I still have the same excitement/passion that I had back then but I also learned a very valuable lesson. I was thinking of myself during this time, trying to perfect my spirituality, like that could be achieved.
I would say the experience opened my eyes to listening to the Lord more effectively. There is no moral to the story, morals are man’s idea. I will say this though; God is with you always, even when we don’t listen. When we listen with full awareness in the moment, the quality of listening becomes a quality of loving. And when we listen to God, or more specifically, listen to God’s will for us, we can cultivate a more satisfying and loving experience of life.
Can you remember a time when God was there for you even when you didn’t listen?
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Cheerful giver
The Cheerful Giver
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (KJV)
But this I say, He which sowed sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sowed bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remained for ever. 10 Now he that ministered seed to the sowed both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplied the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
I have to admit, I’ve been struggling with this passage this week. So I needed to perform a inside job, do a check up from the neck up so to speak. This was the situation, someone I know wanted to go to a special event but they didn’t have the money to attend. I prayed for them and God put it on my heart to bless them with the gift of full tuition to the event.
I believe this was from God to do.
A few months back, I too was in this situation. I wanted to go to a special event but didn’t have the cash to attend. 1 week before the event, a friend called to tell me that I was going and that it was taken care of. What a wonderful gift and blessing for God to put this on his heart.
This person I wanted to bless with the tuition, refused the gift. The reasoning was pretty evident in there explanation of it, and they had 2. First, they explained to me they had already applied for a scholarship and they wanted to see what came of that request. The second, because this person was of the opposite sex, she felt as it may harm our friendship.
We aren’t and probably would never have a relationship outside our friendship but I feel she didn’t see it this way. Of course, I prayed about this, and prayed… and prayed. The answer I received was joyfully and alarmingly clear, I gave the gift directly to the scholarship fund and not to a individual person.
What bothers me most about this is that, in a way, I still paid her way, anonymously. My thoughts are this; did I go against my friends wishes and still provide her a means to go? Why is giving so complicated at times? Why do some people believe you have a ulterior motive when ever you perform a random act of kindness? What if I was interested in her, beyond a normal friendship?
Who boy!!!
The bible verse at the beginning of my blog states, “God loves a cheerful giver”. Does that mean if I am not happy to give, that I shouldn’t give at all? A cheerful giver does not give “out of sorrow” or “reluctantly”; “out of necessity” or “under compulsion.”
Three words come to mind when I think of giving from the heart:
Blessings
Contentment
Grace
When you give, your not just giving of your resources your giving blessings.
“and whoever sows with blessings will also reap with blessings.”
The giver is cheerful because he is sowing blessings for others. And when you go around planting blessings, you harvest blessings yourself! What types of blessings do we reap from giving? Here’s a couple…
Acting Out God’s love in this world.
Fulfilling your God given, purpose in life.
We can show how much God loves us! Psalms 67:1,4 (KJV)
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
The word sufficiency is Contentment! Or having all that you need”, “What do you need?” I needed to sponsor her for this event, or did I? My son wants those sour candies and I say it’s too late for candy, Logan. The he’ll say I need those candies, I promise I’ll go to bed on time. Of course, never saying anything about sleeping! We think we need lots of things that we desire. Given our confusion about our needs, the phrase “having all that you need” is misleading.
Our contentment comes from our confidence in the God of all grace, who at all times will give us the grace we need in all things.
God gives us grace so that we can be content in whatever our circumstances might be. And knowing that we are content, knowing that we will be content at all future times, knowing that God will supply our every true need, knowing that He will guide us and direct our paths and bring us safely to His heavenly kingdom, we are free to give and love.
We can be content in every circumstance by the grace of God. We thus can abound in every good work, no matter what it costs us in time, in position, or in money.
So, why does God love a cheerful giver? Because the cheerful giver trusts Him, loves Him, believes in Him. The grudging giver does none of those things. The cheerful giver gives out of His joy in God.
My check up from the neck up is, who was I doing this for God or her? The correct answer is God! My answer, I had no ulterior motive. I wanted her to go because God put it on my heart, my great friend, should see this.
Believe in God’s future grace to you – and then step up and out!
God Bless,
Paul
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (KJV)
But this I say, He which sowed sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sowed bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remained for ever. 10 Now he that ministered seed to the sowed both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplied the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
I have to admit, I’ve been struggling with this passage this week. So I needed to perform a inside job, do a check up from the neck up so to speak. This was the situation, someone I know wanted to go to a special event but they didn’t have the money to attend. I prayed for them and God put it on my heart to bless them with the gift of full tuition to the event.
I believe this was from God to do.
A few months back, I too was in this situation. I wanted to go to a special event but didn’t have the cash to attend. 1 week before the event, a friend called to tell me that I was going and that it was taken care of. What a wonderful gift and blessing for God to put this on his heart.
This person I wanted to bless with the tuition, refused the gift. The reasoning was pretty evident in there explanation of it, and they had 2. First, they explained to me they had already applied for a scholarship and they wanted to see what came of that request. The second, because this person was of the opposite sex, she felt as it may harm our friendship.
We aren’t and probably would never have a relationship outside our friendship but I feel she didn’t see it this way. Of course, I prayed about this, and prayed… and prayed. The answer I received was joyfully and alarmingly clear, I gave the gift directly to the scholarship fund and not to a individual person.
What bothers me most about this is that, in a way, I still paid her way, anonymously. My thoughts are this; did I go against my friends wishes and still provide her a means to go? Why is giving so complicated at times? Why do some people believe you have a ulterior motive when ever you perform a random act of kindness? What if I was interested in her, beyond a normal friendship?
Who boy!!!
The bible verse at the beginning of my blog states, “God loves a cheerful giver”. Does that mean if I am not happy to give, that I shouldn’t give at all? A cheerful giver does not give “out of sorrow” or “reluctantly”; “out of necessity” or “under compulsion.”
Three words come to mind when I think of giving from the heart:
Blessings
Contentment
Grace
When you give, your not just giving of your resources your giving blessings.
“and whoever sows with blessings will also reap with blessings.”
The giver is cheerful because he is sowing blessings for others. And when you go around planting blessings, you harvest blessings yourself! What types of blessings do we reap from giving? Here’s a couple…
Acting Out God’s love in this world.
Fulfilling your God given, purpose in life.
We can show how much God loves us! Psalms 67:1,4 (KJV)
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
The word sufficiency is Contentment! Or having all that you need”, “What do you need?” I needed to sponsor her for this event, or did I? My son wants those sour candies and I say it’s too late for candy, Logan. The he’ll say I need those candies, I promise I’ll go to bed on time. Of course, never saying anything about sleeping! We think we need lots of things that we desire. Given our confusion about our needs, the phrase “having all that you need” is misleading.
Our contentment comes from our confidence in the God of all grace, who at all times will give us the grace we need in all things.
God gives us grace so that we can be content in whatever our circumstances might be. And knowing that we are content, knowing that we will be content at all future times, knowing that God will supply our every true need, knowing that He will guide us and direct our paths and bring us safely to His heavenly kingdom, we are free to give and love.
We can be content in every circumstance by the grace of God. We thus can abound in every good work, no matter what it costs us in time, in position, or in money.
So, why does God love a cheerful giver? Because the cheerful giver trusts Him, loves Him, believes in Him. The grudging giver does none of those things. The cheerful giver gives out of His joy in God.
My check up from the neck up is, who was I doing this for God or her? The correct answer is God! My answer, I had no ulterior motive. I wanted her to go because God put it on my heart, my great friend, should see this.
Believe in God’s future grace to you – and then step up and out!
God Bless,
Paul
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