Monday, September 28, 2009

back online

I was off line due to server problems. And I longed to get back online to hear from and to write to you. Then I thought about how we get offline in our spiritual life through so many ways. We can't hear from and don't communicate with God. It's really not so much about playing church as it is a gathering of believers. Not so much about how you act but how you love. You see, if you love, then your actions will change. If you get excited about a connection of like minded people, then you will want to gather. And yes, there will be those in that gathering that may be offline, but you just may be the one that offers the way back online. type to you later.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Where do we start?

We say we are watching God work in our lives. Sometimes, our watching is distracted by things we hold close, by people we follow, by situations we deem important. These can distract us from hearing, and from obeying God's will for our lives.

Where can we start? Two passages to help you:
Psalm 46:10 is a great place. "Be still, and know that I am God."
Zechariah 4:6 is another."'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.

Your day is already in play. Take time to hear, to be still, to get direction from God. When you follow God's directions you really can better handle your day. When you watch for God's moves, you can better see your way. I bless you with excitement for God's revealing to you this day. type to you later.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Keys

Today I opened a chest that is opened rarely. It is the chest that holds locks and keys. Most of the locks are from luggage along with their keys. So these items remain in place for a time when I can use them. But there were more keys that did not have locks attached. And some of the keys were not luggage keys.

I counted 27 extra keys. To what? Don't know. What can I do with them? Don't care. What does it all mean? It serves notice to me how we hold on to excess items that have no value, no meaning, no nothing. Yet we still have them. Although the keys do not have much weight, they are symbols of things that weigh us down.

Look around at "keys" in your life. They could be people, places, things, ideas but they no longer serve any purpose but to weigh you down. They have no value, no meaning, just something that you are hold on to for . . .whatever reason. This journey takes us many ways and we have opportunities to pick up, and to let go of some things. Pause, search your surroundings, are there "keys" that you have that hold no value? Get rid of them. Some things worked in the past, but they no longer work - let them go. You need to let go in order to receive what God has for you in the next leg of your journey.

I like it how Paul says it, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13 NIV). Can you let go? type to you later!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Sing a New Song

The old song said "Make new friends but keep thee old. One is silver and the other gold." To the silver and gold in my life, I bless you with peace during these interesting times, and with joy, that you can stand. Let that be the song for you this week. Bless another with a prayer for them.

Laboring

Greetings,

Happy Labor Day! How many of you need rest? How many of you have been laboring under one thing or another. Doing but getting nowhere, looking but not seeing, hearing, but not understanding? Is that anyone? I think so. It's called moving under your own power. And it really is a misnomer because you have no power. Think about it. Yes, we are given abilities to make things happen, yet when our things get in the way of God's plan for our lives and we get NOWHERE. Have you been there? Sure you have. We all have, and many of us are there now.



Wow, that is a lot to think about. So what can we do? How do we move ourselves out of the way? How do we move in the strength of the Lord? Hmmm. Well it's hard for us as we want to control everything. Yes we do, simultaneously, it can be simple. Can we start right here? Jesus beckons to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for am gentle and humbe in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30 NIV). You know how we are, yes, we want the rest, but we skip past the first part -"come to me." So, if you are weary and burdened, it really doesn't matter what, but that you are weary. That you are tired . . . of the job, the lack of job, the man, the lack of man, the lack of understanding from others, the lonileness of your condition, the crying, the worry, the fear, the helping, the hurting, the pain, the lack of clarity, lack direction . . . . Whatever you are tired of- Come.



No, don't try to lay it down right now- that has been part of the problem, you have been trying it under your control. Just "come." Jesus beckons you to the altar wherever you are. Can you see it? It is not me who stands there - but Jesus. Not any preacher you know- but Jesus. This is your altar call. Don't do anything else. Don't look around to see what others are doing. Don't think that you can't come because of your title or position. Come - If when you arise to come -your burden tugs at you, drag it on. Don't let anything, anyone stop you from coming. It is Jesus who beckons you. Come. That's all



Come expecting to meet Jesus. Come expecting a miracle. Come expecting a manifestation of His grace, His provision, His healing, His love, come. Just do that - Don't think about anything else this week, but coming. Today, this week - Come to Jesus. That's all - Just do that. There is something powerful in the coming, something that says "I can't do this without you Lord." Come. Journal what happens in the "coming." Let me know.
Type to you later.